Mauricio Pochettino's Current Role and Contract Status
Mauricio Pochettino has been serving as the head coach of the United States men's national soccer team since September 2024. He is currently focused on preparing the team for the upcoming World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on 11 June and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Pochettino's contract with the US Soccer Federation is set to expire following the conclusion of the tournament.
Discussions with AC Milan
Following the recent dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri as AC Milan's manager, Pochettino has engaged in initial talks regarding the possibility of becoming the club's next head coach. The 54-year-old Argentine coach, who has previously managed Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, has expressed interest in a potential return to club football after the World Cup.
However, when questioned after a training session on Thursday about whether he had personally met with AC Milan's management, Pochettino responded with a clear "no". Regarding any meetings his representatives might have had with the Serie A club, he stated:
"Maybe, possible, because they need to do their job."
He further elaborated on the matter, saying:
"If I met someone, what happened? What is going to change if I met someone? We have friends everywhere and my representative works for me into trying to find the best possibility for the future. That is normal."
Future with US Soccer
Pochettino also revealed that he and JT Batson, the chief executive of the US Soccer Federation, have discussed the prospect of him remaining with the national team beyond the World Cup. He said:
"He asked if we are open to listen [to] the project of the federation for the next four years. And we said of course we are open. Do you think that if we have a commitment with another people, we are going to waste time to listen?"
Batson commented on Pochettino's transparency regarding interest from other clubs, stating that since their initial meeting a few years ago, the coach has been "incredibly transparent" about such approaches. He added:
"There were lots of people interested in Mauricio and his team. He had standing offers from other places and he wanted to be here. He's a big believer in what we're doing at US Soccer. He's a big believer in soccer in America, and he's a big believer in this men's team."
Coaching Career Highlights
Pochettino's most recent club management role was with Chelsea during the 2023-24 season. Under his leadership, Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League and were runners-up in the Carabao Cup final, losing to Liverpool.
Prior to Chelsea, he managed Paris Saint-Germain for one and a half seasons, securing the Ligue 1 title and the French Cup. His tenure at Tottenham Hotspur lasted five and a half years, during which he guided the team to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final, where they were defeated 2-0 by Liverpool.
Earlier in his managerial career, Pochettino also coached Espanyol in Spain and Southampton in England. As a player, he was a defender and earned 20 caps representing Argentina.
AC Milan's Recent Developments
AC Milan parted ways with Massimiliano Allegri earlier this week after the club failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. The club's leadership described the season as an "unequivocal failure." Milan slipped from third to fifth place in Serie A following a 2-1 home defeat to Cagliari on the final matchday, resulting in the team missing out on Europe's premier club competition for the second consecutive year. However, they did secure qualification for the Europa League.
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