By Alex Al-Kazzaz
The U.S. Football (⚽) Federation has officially named Mauricio Pochettino as manager of the United States Men's National Team. With the United States preparing to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Federation had to make a managerial change after an embarrassing and disastrous Copa América campaign that saw the USMNT crash out of the tournament in the group stage. Pochettino reportedly agreed to terms last month, but because of a then-ongoing issue with Chelsea over money Pochettino was owed, he could not sign a contract until the situation was resolved. In May, Pochettino stepped down as manager for Chelsea by mutual consent after one season after leading the club to a sixth-place finish in last season's English Premier League.
The list of candidates to take the position included many big names, and it was believed that Steve Cherundolo, the current manager of Los Angeles F.C., was the frontrunner for the job, but nothing materialized. Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp was on the candidate list for the job but turned it down. Another huge name on that list was former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel.
The hiring of Pochettino is a smart move. His managerial runs with Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea saw him managing some of the biggest names in the sport. In 2019, he led Tottenham to the Champions League final, where Tottenham lost to Liverpool. While managing PSG, he won Ligue 1, a Coupe de France, and a Trophée des Champions. In his only season at Chelsea, he led the club to the EFL Cup final, finishing as the runner-up. In addition, he's a four-time Premier League Manager of the Month and won the London Football Awards Manager of the Year award in 2019.
Pochettino has no experience managing an international team, but his lengthy run in Europe makes him suitable for this job. Sporting Director Matt Crocker, who worked with Pochettino when he managed Southampton in 2013, made the decision to appoint him. Pochettino's contract with the USMNT runs through the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Pochettino will be introduced in a press conference later this week. He'll manage his first game on October 12th in an exhibition against Panama.
(Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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