The US national team and its fans have high expectations. After all, along with Mexico and Canada, the United States will host the 2026 World Cup, and the entire country is certainly counting on a good performance from the players. However, they are not a top team even on their own continent, which was brutally confirmed by the Copa America. There, the Americans won 2-0 against Bolivia, and then lost 1-2 to Panama and 0-1 to Uruguay. Because of this, they did not even make it out of the group.
Mauricio Pochettino is the new coach of the US national team. Will a big name save the World Cup?
During the Copa America, the USA coach was Gregg Berhalter, but his work was not satisfactory and he officially lost it on September 1. Mikey Varas took over the team temporarily, but he led it in only two matches – against Canada (1:2) and New Zealand (1:1). Poor results resulted in the American association deciding to reach for a well-known name.
The choice fell on the unemployed Mauricio Pochettino, who left Chelsea on June 30 after just one season. The coach, valued and sought after in Europe, will move to another continent and, on top of that, will work with the national team for the first time in his career.
“The coach brings a wealth of experience to American soccer,” the official announcement on the American federation's website reads. “Known for building teams with a dynamic style of play, he will now take the helm of the U.S. national team, bringing his wealth of experience and tactical acumen to lead the team to the 2026 World Cup on home soil,” the statement continued.
And how does the Argentine himself feel about it? “The decision to join the US national team wasn't just about football. It's about the journey this team and this country are on. The energy, passion and hunger to achieve something truly historic – those are the things that inspired me. I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together we will build something special that the entire nation will be proud of,” the 52-year-old says.
Pochettino has of course ingratiated himself a bit with the new fans, but he has a really tough task ahead of him. In the previous World Cup, the US team was eliminated in the 1/8 finals by the Netherlands, and that was a good result, considering their capabilities. Now, expectations will be much higher, and yet the players there are still not world-class stars. The Argentine has worked in Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and his greatest success is winning the French Ligue 1.
The new US national team coach's contract will run until July 31, 2026. The World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico will begin on June 11 and end on July 19.