Pep Guardiola has long been seen as the frontrunner to take over the United States men's national team, but according to the "talkSPORT" network, the US Soccer Federation have added another serious candidate to their shortlist: Roberto Martinez, the former Premier League manager who also coached the Belgium and Portugal national teams.
The search has gathered pace because Mauricio Pochettino appears to be on his way out of the US job. Pochettino is reported to have reached a preliminary agreement to replace Michael Carrick at Manchester United, who sacked Carrick after a run of poor results.
Guardiola remains the Federation's first choice, and landing him would reportedly be viewed as a dream outcome. However, officials are said to be wary of persuading him to end a break from the game, which is why they have begun exploring alternatives, with Martinez quickly emerging as a genuine option.
Guardiola has not managed a team since leaving Manchester City last summer, where he spent a decade and won six Premier League and Champions League titles between them, along with three straight league titles earlier in his career at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Taking the US job would be his first experience coaching at international level. He has continued to show support for Manchester City since leaving, including sending a message to fans after the club was cleared of all financial charges in the Premier League in September.
Martinez offers something different: direct international management experience. He left both Belgium and Portugal after their exits from last summer's World Cup. His time with Portugal, where he worked closely with Cristiano Ronaldo during the 2026 World Cup, is highlighted as a key part of his managerial profile, relying on Ronaldo as both a goalscorer and a dressing-room leader.
Should Guardiola take the role, he could be in charge in time for the CONCACAF Gold Cup next summer, which would be his first competitive assignment with the national team.
The choice facing the US Federation is described as a decision between appointing a major name without international experience or a coach already familiar with the demands of leading a national team into a major tournament, with the outcome expected to shape the identity of the United States national team heading into the 2030 World Cup.
