Soccer
Mauricio Pochettino name may be linked with a potential move back to Europe but the Argentine remains happy in his role as U.S. men’s national team head coach.
Pochettino is currently in the final months of his contract with U.S. Soccer as his squad gears up for the FIFA World Cup. The longtime manager signed with the USMNT in September 2024 and has since led the program to a 13-2-9 record across multiple competitions.
Despite reported interest from both Real Madrid and Tottenham, Pochettino has stayed focus on the job at hand, continuing his work with the USMNT ahead of a monumental summer.
He once again reiterated his commitment, admitting that he is open to a longer stay in the role after the World Cup.
“I think everyone knows that I am committed with the national team here,” Pochettino said in a press conference Monday ahead of the USMNT’s friendly vs. Portugal. “We are open. We don’t have contract for the future, but why not if we are happy and the federation is happy?”
Pochettino led PSG to three trophies during his time in France, which remains as the only silverware of his managerial career to date. He helped Tottenham reach a UEFA Champions League Final and Chelsea make it to an EFL Cup Final.
With the USMNT, Pochettino helped the Americans advance to last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup Final before falling to rivals Mexico. He also watched the USMNT succumb to a fourth-place finish in the 2024-25 Nations League, growing pressure on Pochettino to get things turned around over the next few months.
After working with many international talents over the years, the 54-year-old admitted he did not expect as big of a challenge as he has had with the USMNT.
“It’s tough, but it’s a massive challenge. It’s a bigger challenge than we really believe or thought before to start here…and never is easy when you want to change things or when you need to change,” he said.
“The potential is massive, and with the legacy of the World Cup, I think, and in the way that is growing the soccer here, you are seeing all our youth teams, how they are growing, how they are competing. I think it’s very exciting in the future here,” he added.
Pochettino’s USMNT squad will seek a bounce-back result on Tuesday against Portugal, knowing that Saturday’s lopsided defeat to Belgium raised many eyebrows across the American fanbase. As for Pochettino, he will continue to evaluate his talent before the World Cup begins on June 12, knowing that his final roster will be named two weeks prior ahead of matches against Senegal and Germany.
For now Pochettino is putting the contract plans on hold, knowing there is much more to be concerned with at this stage of the spring.
“Now is not time to talk, it’s time to be focusing in the World Cup,” Pochettino said. “After the World Cup for sure we will have time to to talk in some way [or] another, depend[ing] on the vision of the federation and also our feeling, if we are happy.”
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