READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp ‘REJECTS chance to become new USA coach’READ MORE: Top coach has ‘no interest’ in replacing Gregg Berhalter for USMNTBy Oliver Salt
Published: 21:59 BST, 16 July 2024 | Updated: 22:02 BST, 16 July 2024
Mauricio Pochettino is a potential candidate for the USA job this summer, according to reports in his native Argentina.
The US men’s national team are still on the hunt for their next head coach after the firing of Gregg Berhalter, who was dismissed on the back of their dismal Copa America campaign this summer.
Berhalter made way after failing to advance from the group stages of a major tournament on home soil, meaning there is a vacancy to fill less than two years before the World Cup heads to America.
Jurgen Klopp, who called time on his legendary stint as Liverpool manager earlier this year, was sounded out by USMNT chiefs before quickly rejecting their advances amid his plan to have a break from soccer.
Yet according to Argentine publication Diario Olé, Pochettino is in the running to take the USA reins this summer.
Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as a potential candidate for the USA job this summer
The former Premier League boss is available following his controversial Chelsea exit back in May, which sparked uproar after he guided the turbulent London club to a sixth-place finish and the League Cup final.
It is believed he is regarded as the ideal candidate for USMNT officials, who are seeking a young coach with a high profile that speaks English and has experience working with world-class players.
For Pochettino, the potential allure of the job would be working with a talented crop of youngsters at a home tournament in 2026.
The ex-Chelsea, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager has coached some of the biggest names in world soccer, including Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer and Thiago Silva.
His finest work came in charge of Spurs, whom he guided to a first ever Champions League final as well as multiple top-four finishes in the Premier League.
At PSG and Chelsea, Pochettino failed to have the same kind of impact and eventually left both teams earlier than anticipated.
Jurgen Klopp quickly rejected the chance to replace Gregg Berhalter as USMNT head coach
Berhalter was fired last week on the back of the country’s miserable Copa America campaign
Reports in Argentina suggest that ex-Chelsea boss Pochettino is in the running for the USA job
Berhalter was sacked as USMNT head coach late in the afternoon on Wednesday, just before kickoff in the Copa America semifinal between Uruguay and Colombia.
Initial reports the following morning indicated that contact was made with Klopp to gauge his interest, only for The Athletic’s David Ornstein to later reveal that he had swiftly rebuffed the chance to coach the Americans.
In a statement sent to Mail Sport, Berhalter took responsibility for the disappointing Copa America campaign: ‘I want to thank the US Soccer Federation for entrusting me to lead this team for the past five years — representing our country is a tremendous honor and I am proud of the identity we have built on and off the field.
‘It was very gratifying watching this team improve over the years and I remain grateful for the lifetime bonds created with our players, coaches, and staff members.
‘The Copa America result is extremely disappointing and I take full responsibility for our performance. Our approach and process was always focused on the 2026 World Cup and I remain confident that this group will be one of the great stories in 2026.’