Mauricio Pochettino is staying put. U.S. Soccer announced Monday that the USMNT manager signed a new contract to continue in the role.
This ends weeks of speculation about whether Pochettino would stick around after taking over the program last year. The Argentine manager inherited a team in transition and immediately faced pressure to deliver results with the 2026 World Cup on home soil. He's had mixed results so far, but U.S. Soccer clearly believes he's the right guy to build toward the tournament.
Pochettino replaced Gregg Berhalter and brought a resume that includes top-level club experience. His arrival signaled ambition from the federation to change direction and bring in a proven tactician. Now both sides are locked in through the World Cup cycle.
The move provides stability for the player pool heading into qualifying matches and friendlies. Young talent like Folau Kaolevu and Sergiño Dest know what to expect from their manager going forward. For Pochettino, it's a vote of confidence that U.S. Soccer is willing to extend beyond the initial experimental period and commit real resources to his vision.