The U.S. Soccer Federation has officially hired former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino as the head coach of its men’s senior national team, the federation announced Tuesday.
“Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams,” U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker said in a statement. “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.”
Said Pochettino in an accompanying statement: “The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on. 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.”
According to ESPN, Pochettino’s contract is a two-year deal worth $6 million a year, making him the highest-paid coach in U.S. Soccer history.
The long-awaited move was first reported on Aug. 15, yet the deal was not made official due to reported negotiations over Pochettino’s exit fee from his Chelsea club contract.
Several reports, including those from ESPN and CBS Sports, claimed that Chelsea, U.S. Soccer and Pochettino had hit snags over his final payments from the club. Pochettino signed a guaranteed two-year pact with Chelsea in 2023 but was relieved of his duties after one season.
Chelsea did not answer Sportico’s request for comment.
Pochettino coached Chelsea during the 2023-24 Premier League season, leading the Blues to a sixth-place finish after the team had spent much of the campaign in the bottom half of the 20-team league. Both sides mutually agreed to separate. According to The Athletic, Chelsea technical director Laurence Stewart offered “a glowing reference” to the USSF on Pochettino’s behalf. Before Chelsea, the Argentine coached at Paris Saint-Germain, leading the club to its 10th Ligue 1 title in 2022.
In 2009, Pochettino began his managerial career at Espanyol, the LaLiga club where he played for 10 years in two separate stints before taking his first Premier League gig with Southampton in 2013. After leading the team to an eighth-place finish in his lone campaign there, he took over Tottenham Hotspur from 2014 to 2019, managing that club to best-ever runs in the Premiership (second place in 2017) and UEFA Champions League (runners-up in the 2019 final).
The job opened after U.S. Soccer fired Gregg Berhalter following a disastrous showing at this summer’s Copa América tournament. The U.S. men’s team, on paper one of the most talented groups in the country’s history based on the number of players at top-flight European clubs, was supposed to use the tournament as a steppingstone to success at the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host.
Pochettino’s track record of elevating the play of his roster made him an attractive candidate to take the helm, though he was not the first choice of the USSF. The organization reached out to Jurgen Klopp after the former Liverpool manager stepped down from the Premier League side in the spring. Klopp immediately turned down the U.S.’s overtures, stating that he had no interest in managing anytime soon.
The announcement from U.S. Soccer included a note on how Pochettino's contract would be funded, saying it is "supported in significant part by a philanthropic leadership gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel and founder of Griffin Catalyst. Additional support has been provided by Scott Goodwin, co-founder and managing partner of Diameter, and several commercial partners."
Given his coaching successes in international club soccer, it’s no surprise Pochettino will be paid substantially more than his U.S. Soccer predecessors.
According to tax filings, Berhalter made just under $7 million in his five years in charge, including a high mark of $2.3 million in calendar year 2022, the final full year available. Jürgen Klinsmann, the German coach who arrived with similar high hopes to raise the play of the American men, made $15.7 million in salary and bonuses from 2011 through the end of 2016.
Emma Hayes, who managed a dominant Chelsea’s women’s team in the Women’s Soccer League prior to taking over the U.S. women’s program in November 2023, will be paid up to $2 million this year, reports The Athletic.
(This article has been updated with reported contract details in the fourth paragraph and information on outside financial support for the deal in the 11th paragraph and the headline.)
