Mauricio Pochettino fought back tears, but doubts about his long-term USMNT commitment will linger
— No matter how many times Mauricio Pochettino says he was in it for the long run, cynics will probably never accept his second term as U.S.
Key points
- And on Friday, just 102 days after signing a four-year contract to continue the productive work he began in the fall of 2024 and carried through this summer’s World Cup, Pochettino struggled to hold back tears at a news conference announcing he will depart next week to become Manchester United’s head coach.
- AP Photo/Colin Hubbard With a portfolio that includes a Champions League runner-up medal at Tottenham Hotspur, plus spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, Pochettino was commonly mentioned during his U.S.
- “The belief of what's possible for soccer in this country has never been higher.” There is, though, a lingering sense that Batson and his colleagues should have seen this coming, if not after 102 days but in the coming months.
Mauricio Pochettino works with players including Christian Pulisic on Friday ahead of his final two matches as USMNT coach.
But this wasn’t just any suitor; it was Manchester bloody-freakin’ United — a club that had spoken to Pochettino on three other occasions over the years and now is in desperate need of help amid its worst start in 40 years.
Additional details
- That is why it makes it more difficult — a decision that, in some part, is a very sad decision, and in another part, we are professional and we need also to try to find the next step and try to make your dreams come true.” Pochettino aimed to make U.S.
- But what I want to make clear, when we decide [to re-sign] together to extend our commitment,” he was looking to 2030.
- “I never said that I want to go back” to Europe, Pochettino said of suggestions he wasn’t going to stay with the U.S.
- Pochettino is Argentine but he’s very much European, and he’s very much a club coach at heart.
- The USSF was smart enough to include a $10 million release clause in Pochettino’s contract — a figure United must fork over to the USSF.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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