Mauricio Pochettino confirmed as new USA manager

Mauricio Pochettino is officially the new USMNT manager, the federation announced on Tuesday.

U.S. Soccer parted ways with former coach Gregg Berhalter in July after the Stars and Stripes crashed out of the Copa América on home soil at the group stage.

Pochettino was rumored to be in the running for both the USMNT and England jobs during the summer, but has decided to move stateside.

The 52-year-old coach was most recently in the dugout at Chelsea, leading the London outfit to a sixth-placed finish before parting ways with the club just two days after the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign.

Pochettino will be the key figurehead for a potentially formative few years as the United States, along with Canada and Mexico, hosts the World Cup in 2026.

He is the second former Chelsea manager to take charge of a US national team in recent months, after Emma Hayes took over as USWNT manager and led them to instant gold medal success at the Olympics.

“Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams,” said U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker.

“His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad. We are thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage.”

After a round-of-16 exit in Qatar, the former Tottenham boss appears to be seen as the best candidate to take the USMNT to the next tier of international sides.