USMNT finally gets its coach: Mauricio Pochettino finalizes long-awaited deal

CINCINNATI — Mauricio Pochettino was named coach of the U.S. men’s national soccer team Tuesday, uniting one of the sport’s most respected club coaches with a program yearning for a breakthrough at the 2026 World Cup. The 52-year-old Argentine replaces Gregg Berhalter, who, one year into his second term, was fired in July following the team’s Copa América disappointment. “The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on,” Pochettino said in a statement. “The energy, the passion and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here — those are the things that inspired me.” Pochettino did not attend Tuesday’s match — a 1-1 draw with New Zealand overseen by interim coach Mikey Varas — but appeared in a video message in English and Spanish that played in the stadium before kickoff. Advertisement Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but because Pochettino is among the most coveted and highest-paid coaches in the world, U.S. Soccer will supplement his salary through outside sources. In his previous job, Pochettino earned an estimated $13 million leading English Premier League club Chelsea. Tuesday’s announcement came three days after the U.S. team played with low energy and little cohesion during a 2-1 defeat to Canada in Kansas City, Kan. Advertisement “Hopefully [Pochettino is] someone that’s going to come in and really change the culture around here,” forward Christian Pulisic said. We have the quality, and now it’s time to compete and try to win.” Pulisic added: “Just that winning mentality, in every moment on the field, we obviously were missing it again. I can’t exactly explain it.” Pulisic scored in the 69th minute Tuesday, but after the U.S. team squandered several chances, poor defending contributed to a freak deflection and Ben Waine’s 89th-minute equalizer. “It’s been a tough [stretch], but we’re ready to turn it around and ready to get to work,” forward Ricardo Pepi said. “We can do something special.” “With any good team, or any great team, it starts with culture,” right back Marlon Fossey said. So a mix of Pochettino and the talent in the pool, it could be an exciting show.” Advertisement In place for several weeks, the deal with Pochettino could not be finalized until the USSF’s board of directors approved the terms (that occurred Sunday) and he and Chelsea resolved financial issues stemming from his departure in May (that happened Tuesday afternoon). USSF Sporting Director Matt Crocker, who worked with Pochettino at Premier League club Southampton in 2013, said he reached out to the Argentine this summer and visited him in Barcelona. I think we hooked him in from there.” A message from Mauricio 🇺🇸 🗣️ ENG ➡️ 🗣️ ESP — U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) September 10, 2024 Known for nurturing young players and deploying proactive tactics, Pochettino will take over a youthful team that has less than two years to prepare for the World Cup, which will take place primarily in the United States, plus Mexico and Canada. Advertisement Pochettino is a huge name in global soccer, having coached Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the Premier League and a Paris Saint-Germain team that featured Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. Pochettino, a former standout defender who represented Argentina at the 2002 World Cup, began his coaching career in Spain with Espanyol (2009-12) before moving to Southampton in 2013-14. Before U.S. talks accelerated last month, he was mentioned as a possible candidate for the England job following Gareth Southgate’s departure. Advertisement The U.S. role is Pochettino’s first as a national team coach and comes with heightening expectations leading up to the World Cup. U.S. officials see the tournament as an opportunity to grow the sport, not only through exposing the public to high-level soccer over four-plus weeks but through the fortunes of the national team. Berhalter set the program on the right path, guiding it to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup and continuing its regional supremacy, but his team stumbled badly this summer at Copa América — the only major tuneup before the 2026 global showcase. Before turning their attention to Pochettino, U.S. officials gauged former Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp’s interest, but he had no intention of pursuing the job. – This Summarize was created by Neural News AI (V1). Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/09/10/mauricio-pochettino-usmnt-coach/