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When Mauricio Pochettino was hired arsenic nan caput coach of nan US Men's National Team conscionable nether 2 years ago, it was wide viewed arsenic a coup for US Soccer.
Pochettino brought an extracurricular perspective, a stark departure from Gregg Berhalter, whose acquisition arsenic a head was mostly successful MLS. He'd coached players astatine nan highest level of European competition, pinch stints astatine Tottenham Hotspur successful nan English Premier League, Paris Saint-Germain successful Ligue 1, and Chelsea, backmost successful nan EPL.
His tenure sewage disconnected to a spot of a rocky start, past successful nan largest tourney anterior to the World Cup, his USMNT mislaid 2-1 successful nan Gold Cup Final to Mexico. Albeit pinch immoderate arguable refereeing decisions going Mexico's way.
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Head coach Mauricio Pochettino watches during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D lucifer betwixt nan United States and Paraguay astatine Los Angeles Stadium successful Los Angeles, Calif., connected June 12, 2026. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
But arsenic pinch astir nationalist squad managers, Pochettino was ever going to beryllium judged based connected nan USMNT's capacity successful nan 2026 World Cup. And location it's, well, a spot of a mixed bag. The first lucifer against Paraguay successful Los Angeles was jaw-dropping. A ascendant 4-1 victory, playing a marque of aggressive, attacking shot pinch composure, coordination, and outstanding activity that had virtually ne'er been seen earlier from a US team.
They handled Australia 2-0, earlier dropping a meaningless crippled against Turkey pinch nan backups replacing astir starters. Advancing retired of nan group shape was 1 thing, but winning it successful ascendant manner was another. Still, nan knockout shape has been yet different hurdle for nan USMNT to overcome, and successful possibly nan astir encouraging motion yet, they did truthful easily.
Yes, Bosnia and Herzegovina was outmatched connected talent, but nan resilience nan squad displayed aft prima Florian Balogun was sent disconnected pinch a controversial reddish card was impressive. As was nan apical level free footwear extremity from Malik Tillman. That triumph group up arguably nan biggest opportunity for a USMNT squad successful decades: hit Belgium successful a location World Cup to beforehand to nan quarterfinals.
We each cognize really that turned out. A devastating 4-1 loss, wherever nan USMNT someway reverted backmost to nan shape astir long-time fans are acquainted with. Poor coordination, atrocious backmost statement play, excessively galore mislaid balls from nan team's champion players, and unforgivable, inexcusable mistakes.
Christian Pulisic of nan United States is consoled by Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of nan United States, aft being substituted during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 lucifer betwixt USA and Belgium astatine Seattle Stadium connected July 6, 2026 successful Seattle, Washington. (John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images)
So really do you judge Pochettino's performance? Well, that's precisely what US Soccer has to do. And they issued a connection aft their World Cup exit seemingly implying that they want him backmost and nan determination lies pinch him.
"We had affirmative conversations pinch Mauricio earlier nan World Cup astir nan future," nan connection says. "We agreed we would proceed those conversations pursuing a chance to remainder and bespeak station World Cup. We person a awesome woody of respect and gratitude for Mauricio, his unit and everyone portion of nan program. We person shared excitement astir our imaginable and besides shared clarity astir nan magnitude of activity astatine each levels still required to execute our ambition."
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Pochettino himself said he intends to return immoderate clip to deliberation astir his early and what nan federation wants.
"In nan adjacent fewer weeks, we tin commencement to talk if nan federation wants to talk," he said aft nan match. "Right now it’s astir resting a small bit, to think, to person conversations pinch nan federation to spot what nan determination is. I’m truthful happy. We’ve built a very bully relationship. Now is not a infinitesimal to talk astir [my future]."
He'll surely person options, whether that's backmost successful nan Premier League, aliases successful Italy, aliases elsewhere. But retaining Pochettino should beryllium a apical privilege for US Soccer.
His adjustments astatine halftime brought nan USMNT correct backmost into nan match, and it doesn't autumn to him that 38-year-old Tim Ream was nan champion disposable halfway back. Or that nan starting goalkeeper rather virtually kicked nan crushed erstwhile attempting to clear nan ball, starring straight to a Belgium goal. While there's justifiable vexation complete going retired successful nan Round of 16 yet again, it's clear that nan US subordinate excavation is nan champion it's ever been. And getting better.
United States coach Mauricio Pochettino looks connected during nan world friends lucifer betwixt nan United States and Portugal astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta, Georgia, connected March 31, 2026. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
There are galore structural issues to address pinch really shot is coached and administered astatine nan younker level, which autumn much connected US Soccer than nan USMNT caput coach. But arsenic acold arsenic squad selection, development, and tactics, location aren't galore coaching options disposable that would beryllium a amended prime for nan US. Outside of highly improbable swings astatine personification for illustration Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, aliases Jurgen Klopp. And Klopp is already heavy successful talks to return complete nan German National Team aft different disastrous exit.
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This is simply a pivotal clip for US Soccer, and it's highly important to get this adjacent rhythm right. Hopefully they do.
Ian Miller is simply a writer astatine OutKick.
