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On the same day that US Soccer CEO JT Batson told me and a handful of other national reporters that the federation remains in “active discussions” to bring back Mauricio Pochettino as coach of the US men’s national team, Pochettino said Thursday that his decision on whether he will continue coaching the Americans or move on is just days away.
Speaking to a Spanish radio station on Thursday, the 54-year-old coach, who was offered a contract extension through the 2030 World Cup despite the United States’ shocking 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 of the ongoing 2026 World Cup, confirmed that he is still not sure whether he wants to return. His current contract expires after Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Pochettino’s native Argentina.
“They made me an offer to continue and we’ll see,” said Pochettino, who is by far the highest-paid coach in American soccer history with a salary of more than $6 million. “We are evaluating it. Next week, we will do it [make] a decision.”
(Photo by Doug Zimmerman/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Hired to replace Gregg Berhalter in 2024, the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain coach had a difficult first 18 months in charge, losing to Germany, Canada, Panama, Switzerland, South Korea, Türkiye, Portugal and twice to Mexico.
But he helped the World Cup co-hosts win their group by beating Paraguay and Australia before a round of 16 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
However, he was surpassed by Belgian Rudi García in the United States’ most important match, the only one the Americans played against a FIFA top 10 opponent. The 4-1 loss was the most lopsided loss for the United States in a World Cup qualifying match since a 7-1 loss to Italy in 1934. That loss against Belgium was watched live by more than 50 million Americans, the most to ever watch a soccer match in U.S. history.
