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MAURICIO POCHETTIINO NAMED NEW USNMT HEAD COACH

Mauricio Pochettino is the new manager of the United States men's national team, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced Tuesday.

Pochettino, 52, signed a two-year contract that will take him through the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico. He succeeds Gregg Berhalter, who was fired after the USMNT's poor showing at this summer's Copa América.

Pochettino will be introduced Friday in New York.

"Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams," USSF sporting director Matt Crocker said in a statement. "His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad. We are thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage."

ESPN reported last month the former Argentina international had agreed to take the job after lengthy discussions with Crocker. Crocker, who previously worked with Pochettino at Premier League team Southampton, had been charged with recruiting a world-class coach to ensure the USMNT goes into the 2026 World Cup as a competitive nation, capable of reaching the latter stages of the competition.

Pochettino certainly brings with him a coaching pedigree that is unmatched in the history of the USMNT. The Argentine has coached at some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. In that time, he has coached some of the top players in the game, including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Harry Kane. In addition to Southampton, he has managed Spanish side Espanyol, where he also spent considerable time as a player.

"The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasn't just about football for me; it's about the journey that this team and this country are on," Pochettino said in a statement. "The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here -- those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the U.S. Men's National Team, in front of fans who are just 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're going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of."

Sources told ESPN that Pochettino would be paid a salary of $6 million per year. Though it's a pay cut from his previous job with Chelsea, it will make him the highest-paid coach in USMNT history.

Berhalter earned $2,291,136 in 2022, including $900,000 in bonuses when the Americans qualified for the World Cup and reached the second round, according to the USSF's 2022 tax filing.

In its announcement, the USSF noted Pochettino's appointment was supported in significant part by a philanthropic leadership gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and chief executive of Citadel and founder of Griffin Catalyst. Additional support has been provided by Scott Goodwin, co-founder and managing partner of Diameter, and several commercial partners.

A message from Mauricio 🇺🇸

🗣️ ENG ➡️ 🗣️ ESP

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) September 10, 2024

The announcement completes a courtship that had dragged on in recent weeks. At issue was the amount of compensation Chelsea would continue to pay Pochettino and his staff. The fact the discussions with Chelsea took place around the close of the summer transfer window in Europe caused further delay.

Efforts to recruit Jürgen Klopp following his summer exit from Liverpool failed to get off the ground, and at one stage Hoffenheim manager Pellegrino Matarazzo was thought to be the leading candidate. But the federation eventually put its focus on Pochettino, and his willingness to take on the role is a major coup.

Pochettino is expected to bring on board longtime assistant coaches Jesús Pérez, Miguel d'Agostino and goalkeeper coach Toni Jiménez. He will take charge of the USMNT for this first time on Oct. 12 in a friendly against Panama in Austin, Texas, followed by a meeting with Mexico in Guadalajara three days later.

"Hiring Mauricio is a step forward in our mission to compete at the highest level and make a lasting mark on the global soccer landscape," said U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson. "His deep knowledge of the game, his commitment to developing talent, and his relentless drive for excellence are exactly what we need as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

"Mauricio understands the unique potential of this team and this country, and he shares our belief that U.S. Soccer is on the cusp of something truly special."

Pochettino takes over a team that is clearly at a low ebb. The USMNT was thought to be on an upward trajectory after its respectable round-of-16 showing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The U.S. has since claimed two subsequent Concacaf Nations League crowns.

But the 2024 Copa América was always viewed as a tougher test, and the U.S. underachieved, failing to get out of a group comprising Bolivia, Panama and Uruguay. The U.S. also suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Colombia in a pre-tournament friendly.

The USMNT's form hasn't improved since, with the U.S. suffering a 2-1 defeat to Canada Saturday in Kansas City, Kansas, with the team being led in an interim capacity by former assistant coach Mikey Varas. In that match, the U.S. was clearly second best in all phases, and was outshot in the first half 11-1. The U.S. drew 1-1 with New Zealand in Cincinnati in its second friendly of the international break later on Tuesday.

Pochettino will have a talented group of players with which to work, a team that includes AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, the Juventus duo of Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, as well as Monaco forward Folarin Balogun. Pochettino won't have much time to work with the players given that there are just eight windows left before the 2026 World Cup, including the 2025 Gold Cup next summer.

A native of Murphy, Argentina, Pochettino made 20 international appearances with two goals, and was part of the Argentina side that competed at the 2002 World Cup. At club level, he began his professional career with Argentine side Newell's Old Boys, before moving to Espanyol, Paris-Saint-Germain and Bordeaux, making over 500 appearances.

- - eff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondent

UNITED STATES PLAYERS IN DARK OVER POCHETTIINO HIRE, SAYS REAM

United States defender Tim Ream said players have not been made aware of the impending appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the team's new head coach.

"We know as much as everybody else," Ream said, speaking at a news conference on Tuesday. "We were updated a few weeks ago that the search was moving in a positive direction and at this point that's where everybody is at.

"We feel and have been told that when something happens, we will know. And everybody else will know pretty quickly after. So we are updated, but we have not been told anything is final up to this point."

Though sources confirmed to ESPN that Pochettino agreed to become the new manager of the USMNT in August, the contract has yet to be finalized. Pochettino must first sort out a contractual issue with former employer Chelsea, given the Premier League club owes its former head coach money after parting ways with him at the end of last season.

Sources told ESPN earlier in the week that the negotiations between Chelsea and the USMNT were nearly done.

For the time being, the Stars and Stripes will be managed by Mikey Varas on an interim basis for the duration of the September window, with the team facing Canada and New Zealand in a pair of friendlies.

Ream, who faced teams coached by Pochettino while playing for Fulham, called the Argentine coach "high-level and high-quality."

"His teams are always difficult to play against," said Ream, who recently joined MLS side Charlotte FC from Fulham. "Obviously, he's a high-quality, high-level manager. They were teams that were really well organized and really strong in the attacking sense.

"So, it is always difficult to play against them and I don't think I was on the right end of any of the matches that I played against them."

Charlotte defender Tim Ream is part of the U.S. squad for a pair of September friendlies. Getty Images

The defender later added that the coaching change should work to "lift the intensity and focus" as the team embarks on preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

The USMNT returns to action for the first time since failing to exit the knockout round of the 2024 Copa América, after winning just one of its group games. Manager Gregg Berhalter was fired after the Copa.

"Yeah, I think after the Copa América ended, there was a mutual feeling within the dressing room of disappointment," striker Folarin Balogun said. "But we knew that we had to put it to rest, we had to go away, reflect and come back for this camp.

"We had the time to reflect and speak together. We have two friendly games coming up. As always, when we have the opportunity to wear this jersey, it's about putting on a show for our fans, giving it 100 percent."

Pochettino would become the USMNT's 10th coach in a 14-year span, including four interim heads and Berhalter for two separate terms.

Varas will lead the U.S. against Canada on Sept. 7 in Kansas City, and then against New Zealand three days later in Cincinnati.

The Americans have another pair of friendlies next month, against Panama on Oct. 12 at Austin, Texas, and Mexico three days later in Guadalajara.

- Lizzy Becherano

USMNT VS. GHANA | INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

 

JESUS FERREIRA MAKES USMNT HISTORY WITH BACK-TO-BACK HAT TRICKS

Imago Images 

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Striker Jesus Ferreira scored three first-half goals against Trinidad and Tobago to become the first United States men's national team player to score consecutive hat tricks in international competition.

The six combined goals came in an 88-minute period at the Gold Cup, with the first three coming on Wednesday against St. Kitts and Nevis in St. Louis, as the U.S. cruised past T&T 6-0 to win its group on goal difference after finishing level on points with Jamaica in Group A.

"I'm happy. I'm excited," Ferreira said after the game. "Obviously, this is a team objective. I wouldn't be able to score goals without my teammates putting me in situations where I can score goals.

"So, from the beginning, we knew that this game was going to be intense. We have to bring the intensity, we have to be the team that can set the tempo and I think we did that."

Ferreira also became just the second player in USMNT history with three career hat tricks, joining the team's joint all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan.

No other player, regardless of country, has multiple career Gold Cup hat tricks, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

"When I see his movement and his confidence in the penalty box, you can tell that the game has slowed down for him," U.S. interim coach B.J. Callaghan said. "All of the work that he's doing, leading our line defensively, dropping down, helping buildup play, for me he's having a really complete tournament."

Ferreira gave the U.S. the lead in the 14th minute from a DeJuan Jones assist and doubled the lead in the 38th minute before a penalty in stoppage time completed the hat trick.

Cade Cowell, Gianluca Busio and Brandon Vazquez all scored second-half goals for the U.S. to finish off the 6-0 victory and the team will now await the results from Group D on Tuesday to see who it will play in the quarterfinals.

 - Kyle Bonagura

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