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Mauricio Pochettino, a seasoned football manager, has been appointed as the head coach of the USA men’s team. He succeeds Gregg Berhalter, who was dismissed after the team's poor show during the Copa America at home. During the tournament, USA failed to get past the group stage, having lost to Panama and Uruguay in the first round. Meanwhile, talking about Pochettino’s work experience, he has had successful stints with teams such as Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. The 52-year-old will lead the team till the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be played across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
USA Soccer’s Sporting Director, Matt Crocker led the search for a new head coach and he zeroed in on Pochettino. The former said that Pochettino is “a serial winner” and has a deep passion to develop a player. Crocker has shown confidence in the newly-appointed head coach. "Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams,” said Crocker. “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," he continued.
On the other hand, Pochettino revealed that the reason he joined the USA team was the energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something within the team. "The decision to join the U.S. Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on," Pochettino said. "The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here — those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the U.S. Men’s National Team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldn’t pass up. 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," he further addressed.
Mauricio Pochettino’s USA to play Panama next
The Mauricio Pochettino managed United States of America team will play against Panama in a home friendly in Austin on October 12. Three days after this game, USA will head to Mexico for an away friendly. Talking about the former Argentina international’s managerial career, he began his career with Espanyol in La Liga before moving to Southampton and later on, to Tottenham Hotspur.
During his stint with Hotspur, the team reached the finals of the UEFA Champions League 2019 final. After leaving Tottenham, he joined Ligue 1 team, Paris Saint-Germain and the team went on to win the title. Apart from his managerial career, he played 20 games for Argentina as a defender and played three games during the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
