"Now is not a moment to talk about my future." That's Mauricio Pochettino after a 4-1 dismantling at the hands of Belgium in the Round of 16 — a result that raises legitimate questions about what his two-year tenure actually achieved.
His contract expires with the tournament. The U.S. Soccer Federation and Pochettino both now have to decide whether they want to continue a working relationship that produced a respectable but ultimately hollow World Cup run on home soil.
The numbers are fine. The ceiling is the problem.
Pochettino finishes with a 17-2-12 record across 31 matches, averaging 1.77 points per game — fourth among USMNT coaches with 30+ games, behind Berhalter, Arena, and Klinsmann. He earned around $6 million per year, making him the third-highest-paid men's international coach in the world at the time, behind Brazil's Carlo Ancelotti ($11.3 million) and former Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann ($7.9 million).
But the Belgium game exposed what the group stage obscured. The USMNT played a soft draw, beat the teams they were supposed to beat, and then ran into a Red Devils side that — by their own historical standards — was underwhelming. Rudi Garcia adjusted tactically and neutralised everything the U.S. had. Pochettino didn't find an answer. That's a problem you can't paper over with pool play results.
Whether that failure belongs to Pochettino or to the limitations of the roster is genuinely unclear. The U.S. has talent. It doesn't yet have the depth or the mentality to hurt elite opposition when the game matters most. Whether a different coach changes that is the real question.
Who's in the frame if he walks?
The dream candidate is Pep Guardiola, who departed Manchester City after an 11-year run. Getting him would be a statement hire — the kind that shifts perception of the programme overnight. Whether he'd want it is another matter entirely.
Jurgen Klopp is linked heavily to the vacant Germany job, but if that doesn't materialise, the USMNT could make a credible pitch. His gegenpressing system suits a squad built around athletic, high-energy players like Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Folarin Balogun. The fit is obvious on paper.
More realistic targets include:
- Pellegrino Matarazzo — U.S.-born, recently won his first trophy with Real Sociedad, and understands both American football culture and European tactical demands.
- Steve Cherundolo — Built LAFC into an MLS powerhouse before departing in 2025. Knows the domestic player pool better than almost anyone.
- Lee Carsley — Currently running England's U-21 setup, though he's a strong internal candidate for the senior Three Lions role whenever Thomas Tuchel's tenure ends.
- Gareth Southgate and Wilfried Nancy — Both were linked before Pochettino's appointment in 2024. Their stock has dipped since.
Pochettino, for his part, has leverage. His track record at Southampton, Tottenham, and PSG means club offers will emerge. He's 54, not finished, and there's no shortage of European jobs that would take him. The federation may find it has less say in this decision than it would like.
"In the next weeks, we can start to talk if the federation wants to talk," he said. That's not a man burning to stay. It's a man keeping his options open.
