Pochettino, U.S. Soccer Thinking Big After ‘Monumental’ Hire

U.S. Soccer formally introduced Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach of the men’s national team Friday, with the organization’s leaders magnifying the importance of the move.

“This is a monumental day for U.S. Soccer,” federation president Cindy Parlow Cone said.

Pochettino brings top-level experience as a former manager of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Tottenham. He begins his duties about 21 months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup is played in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Pochettino said he believes there’s plenty of time for him to get the USMNT ready for the global showcase that many are counting on to elevate the sport in the U.S.

“We need to believe we can win and not just win a game, but to win the World Cup,” Pochettino said. “We want the players to arrive on Day One thinking big.”

Pochettino admitted it was a “tough process” working out his new contract, and U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker labeled the saga “complex.” His salary will be $6 million, according to ESPN, a record for U.S. Soccer. Earlier this week, the federation announced the hire was being supported in significant part by a “philanthropic leadership gift” from Ken Griffin, the founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, among other financial and commercial partners.

Great Teamwork

U.S. soccer officials didn’t say how Pochettino’s hire would impact efforts around equal pay. But they did say USWNT coach Emma Hayes, whose salary is $1.6 million, was influential in bringing Pochettino on board. She previously coached Chelsea’s women’s club at the same time Pochettino was coaching the Premier League side.

“One of the most important things we need to aspire to is the women’s team,” he said. “We have Emma, for me, the best coach in the world. They have won everything, and we need to match that.”

When Hayes was hired last year, U.S. Soccer signed her for the same base salary as former men’s coach Gregg Berhalter. It remains to be seen whether her compensation will increase in accordance with Pochettino’s arrival.