MIAMI: Argentine Mauricio Pochettino has been named the new head coach of the US national team, the US Soccer Federation announced on Tuesday.
The former Tottenham, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Espanyol manager replaces American Greg Berhalter, who was sacked in July after a disappointing Copa America campaign.
Pochettino is the most high-profile coach to lead the US national team, and the first foreigner since Germany's Jurgen Klinsmann to be fired in 2016.
Pochettino, 52, has been unemployed since abruptly leaving Chelsea in May after just one season at the club.
US Soccer did not provide details on the length of the contract, but Pochettino will lead the team at the 2026 World Cup, which the US co-hosts with Mexico and Canada.
“Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams,” said Matt Crocker, US Soccer's athletic director, who led the search for a new coach.
“His track record speaks for itself and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the enormous potential of our talented team,” he added.
Pochettino has a track record of promoting young talent at Southampton, Tottenham and Spanish side Espanyol earlier in his managerial career.
At Tottenham, Pochettino played a key role in shaping the career of England captain Harry Kane, and he turned Spurs into a top-four finish and also took them to the 2019 Champions League final.
The Argentine, who coached stars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in Paris, said he is relishing the opportunity to advance with Team USA.
“The decision to join US Soccer was not just about soccer for me; it's about the path this team and this country are on,” Pochettino said.
“The energy, passion and desire to achieve something truly historic here is what inspired me. The opportunity to lead the USA Men's National Team in front of fans 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 are going to create something special that the whole nation can be proud of,” he added.
Pochettino inherits a relatively young team that reached the last 16 at the last World Cup in Qatar 2022, losing to the Netherlands in the knockout phase.
But hopes that the young side could progress to 2026 were dashed by a failed Copa America campaign in July, when the team failed to get out of the group stage with just one win from three games after defeats to Panama and Uruguay.
Berhalter, heavily criticized by fans and pundits, was fired and the federation was in no rush to find a replacement.
US Soccer chief executive Jay T. Bateson said he was convinced Pochettino was the right coach to get the best out of a team led by AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic.
“His in-depth knowledge of the game, his commitment to talent development and his relentless pursuit of excellence are exactly what we need as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup,” he said.
The financial package to bring Pochettino involved negotiations with his former club Chelsea and included help from donations from the business world.
“Pochettino's appointment is supported in large part by a philanthropic leadership gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel and founder of Griffin Catalyst. Additional support was provided by Scott Goodwin, co-founder and managing partner of Diameter, and several commercial partners,” US Soccer said in a statement.
This is the second appointment for Crocker, a Welshman who previously worked with Pochettino at Southampton.
Croker brought in another former Chelsea coach, Emma Hayes, to lead the women's team, which she guided to gold at the Paris Olympics last month.
