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When Mauricio Pochettino was hired as head coach of the United States men’s national team just under two years ago, it was widely considered a coup for American soccer.
Pochettino brought an outside perspective, a stark change from Gregg Berhalter, whose experience as a manager was primarily in MLS. He has coached players at the highest level of European competition, with stints at Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 and Chelsea, back in the EPL.
His tenure got off to a bit of a rocky start, then in the biggest tournament before the World Cup, his USMNT lost 2-1 in the Gold Cup final to Mexico. But with some controversial arbitration decisions that go Mexico’s way.
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Head coach Mauricio Pochettino looks on during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D match between the United States and Paraguay at the stadium in Los Angeles, California on June 12, 2026. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
But like most national team managers, Pochettino was always going to be judged based on the USMNT’s performance at the 2026 World Cup. And there it is, a bit of a mixed bag. The first match against Paraguay in Los Angeles was breathtaking. A dominant 4-1 victory, playing aggressive, attacking football with exceptional composure, coordination and movement that had virtually never been seen before in an American team.
They beat Australia 2-0, before losing a meaningless match to Turkey, with substitutes replacing most of the regulars. Getting out of the group stage was one thing, but winning it in dominant fashion was another. Still, the knockout stage was another hurdle for the USMNT to overcome, and perhaps the most encouraging sign yet, they did so with ease.
Certainly, Bosnia and Herzegovina were outmatched in terms of talent, but the resilience the team showed after star Florian Balogun was sent off with a controversial red card was impressive. Just like Malik Tillman’s high-level free-kick goal. The victory created arguably the greatest opportunity for a USMNT team in decades: beating Belgium at a home World Cup to advance to the quarterfinals.
We all know how that happened. A devastating 4-1 loss, where the USMNT somehow returned to the form most long-time fans know. Poor coordination, atrocious defensive play, too many loose balls from the team’s best players and unforgivable and inexcusable mistakes.
American Christian Pulisic is consoled by Mauricio Pochettino, head coach of the United States, after being substituted during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match between the United States and Belgium at Seattle Stadium on July 6, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images)
So how do you judge Pochettino’s performance? Well, that’s exactly what US Soccer needs to do. And they released a statement after their exit from the World Cup, seemingly implying that they wanted him back and that the decision was his.
“We had positive conversations with Mauricio before the World Cup about the future,” the statement said. “We agreed to continue these conversations after we had the opportunity to rest and reflect after the World Cup. We have great respect and gratitude for Mauricio, his team and everyone involved in the program. We shared our enthusiasm about our potential and also shared our clarity on the amount of work still needed at all levels to realize our ambition.”
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Pochettino himself has said he intends to take time to think about his future and what the federation wants.
“In the coming weeks we can start talking if the federation wishes,” he said after the match. “At the moment it’s about resting a bit, thinking, having conversations with the federation to see what the decision is. I’m so happy. We’ve built a very good relationship. Now is not the time to talk about it. [my future]”.
He will certainly have options, whether back in the Premier League, Italy or elsewhere. But retaining Pochettino should be a top priority for US Soccer.
His halftime adjustments brought the USMNT back into the game, and it was no fault of his own that 38-year-old Tim Ream was the best center back available. Or that the starting goalkeeper literally kicked the ground while trying to clear the ball, leading directly to a Belgian goal. While there is legitimate frustration about making the Round of 16 once again, it’s clear that the U.S. player pool is the best it’s ever been. And it gets better.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino attends the international friendly match between the United States and Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on March 31, 2026. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
There are many structural issues to resolve regarding how soccer is coached and administered at the youth level, which are more the responsibility of US Soccer than the USMNT head coach. But when it comes to team selection, development and tactics, there aren’t many coaching options available that would be a better fit for the United States. Apart from the extremely improbable swings against someone like Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti or Jurgen Klopp. And Klopp is already in talks to take over the German national team after another disastrous outing.
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This is a pivotal time for American soccer, and it is extremely important to succeed in this next cycle. Let’s hope that’s the case.
