Mauricio Pochettino has officially been named the new head coach of the United States men’s national team, the federation announced Tuesday.
The U.S. Soccer Association parted ways with former coach Gregg Berhalter in July after the Stars and Stripes were eliminated from the group stage of the domestic Copa America tournament.
Pochettino was rumored to be a candidate for both the United States men’s national team and England national team managerial positions in the summer but decided to move stateside.
The 52-year-old coach was most recently Chelsea manager, guiding the London side to a sixth-placed finish, but left the club just two days after the end of the 2023/24 season.
With the U.S. hosting the World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico in 2026, Pochettino will be a key leader in the coming years.
He becomes the second former Chelsea manager to take charge of the U.S. national team in recent months, after Emma Hayes took over as head coach of the U.S. women’s national team and quickly led them to an Olympic gold medal.
“Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive, competitive teams,” U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker said.
“His track record speaks for itself and I am confident that he is the perfect choice to unlock the enormous potential of our talented team. I am thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage.”
Following their round of 16 exit in Qatar, the former Tottenham manager appears to be viewed as the favorite to lead the U.S. men’s national team to the next level of international football.