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Who is Mauricio Pochettino? USMNT head coach leads team in 2026 World Cup
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- The United States men's national team won their group in the 2026 World Cup for the first time since 2010, with Folarin Balogun scoring three goals, and will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.
- Mauricio Pochettino, appointed as USMNT head coach in August 2024, is credited with improving the team's performance and strategy, helping the US advance as a co-host of the tournament.
- Pochettino, 54, previously managed Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Tottenham, leading Tottenham to the 2019 Champions League final; the USMNT is his first national team coaching role.
- As a player, Pochettino was an Argentine defender who participated in the 2002 World Cup and played for Newell's, Espanyol, and Paris Saint-Germain.
- Pochettino earns an annualized base salary of approximately $6 million, making him the third-highest-paid international men's coach, with part of his salary funded by hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin.
