Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed as new coach for the United States men’s team, according to U.S. Soccer on Tuesday.
The Argentine, who parted ways with Premier League side Chelsea in May after one season in charge, will take the charge of the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States.
Pochettino, who was a former Paris St Germain and Tottenham Hotspur manager, said his decision to join U.S. soccer was not just about football, but about the journey the country was on and he could not pass up the opportunity.
‘The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here – those are the things that inspired me,’ he said in a statement.
‘I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of.’
U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker said Pochettino was a ‘serial winner with a deep passion for developing players’.
‘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.’
The U.S. have been without a permanent coach since a humiliating early exit from the Copa America on home soil in July led to the sacking of Gregg Berhalter after his second stint as head coach.
U.S. Soccer’s quest for a new coach when Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of 2022 included names such as Canada coach Jesse Marsch, but they eventually rehired Berhalter in June last year with the full support of the players.
However, it proved unsuccessful as the U.S. failed to progress beyond the group stages of the Copa America after a shock 2-1 defeat to Panama and a crushing 1-0 loss to Uruguay.
Pochettino will take over after Mikey Varas, who has been appointed interim coach, oversaw friendlies against Canada last Saturday and New Zealand on Tuesday.
The U.S. will play their next friendlies against Panama on October 12 then Mexico on October 15.
Source: Voice of Nigeria