Mauricio Pochettino is officially the new coach of the USMNT, the association announced on Tuesday.
US Soccer parted ways with former coach Gregg Berhalter in July after the Stars and Stripes were eliminated in the group stage of the Copa América on home soil.
Pochettino was rumored to be in the running for both the USMNT and England national team jobs this summer, but has decided to move to the United States.
The 52-year-old coach was most recently in charge of Chelsea FC and led the Londoners to sixth place before parting ways with the club just two days after the end of the 2023/24 season.
Pochettino will be the key figurehead in what could be a defining few years, as the United States co-hosts the World Cup with Canada and Mexico in 2026.
He is the second former Chelsea coach to take charge of a US national team in recent months, after Emma Hayes took over as USWNT coach and led the team to an instant gold medal 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 Matt Crocker, US Soccer’s sporting director.
“His track record speaks for itself and I am confident he is the right choice to leverage the tremendous potential of our talented team. We are delighted to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to succeed on the global stage.”
After being eliminated in the round of 16 in Qatar, the former Tottenham coach is apparently considered the best candidate to lead the USMNT into the next league of international teams.
