Mauricio Pochettino appointed as head coach of USA national team
Pochettino replaces American Gregg Berhalter who was fired after the USA's group stage exit at the 2024 Copa America held on home soil. The announcement came before USA's friendly against New Zealand in Cincinnati.
FollowArgentine Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed as the new head coach of USA national team, the US Soccer federation announced on Tuesday. The 52-year-old replaces American Gregg Berhalter who was fired after the Yanks' group stage exit at the 2024 Copa America held on home soil. The announcement came before USA's friendly against New Zealand in Cincinnati.
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Pochettino, who has previously managed high profile teams like Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain, is set to coach a national team for the first time. The 52-year-old has been out of work since leaving the Blues after just one season in charge at Stamford Bridge.
"Pochettino is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams" Matt Crocker, US Soccer's sporting director, was quoted as saying by AFP. "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."
The Argentine tactician has a proven record of leading young and inexperienced teams to unprecedented heights, having guided Tottenham Hotspur to runners-up position in the 2019 Champions League. The 52-year-old's best years as manger were at the North London Club, guiding them to successive top three finishes in the Premier League between 2015 and 2018.
United States will co host the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with Canada and Mexico. The Yanks, who reached the last-16 stage of the previous edition of the tournament in Qatar, are currently ranked 16th in the world by FIFA. However, their recent performances have been below par, having lost the Gold Cup semifinal clash against Panama on home soil, and then failing to make the knockout stages of the Copa America, once again in front of their own supporters.
Nevertheless, the USMNT has no dearth of talent as the likes of Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Weston KcKennie, Yunus Musah and Giovanni Reyna among others play for some of the top clubs in Europe. Pochettino inherits a young team that is capable of achieving greater heights if guided properly.
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