Argentine won’t decide on his future until after the tournament; “He’s a big believer in what we’re doing,” says US soccer chief
Mauricio Pochettino has been offered a contract extension that would keep him as head coach of USA through the 2030 World Cup.
Discussions over a new agreement have been ongoing for about three months, with the US Soccer Federation moving to secure the Argentine’s long-term future after an encouraging World Cup campaign. Pochettino has yet to commit, insisting he will not decide on his future until after the tournament.
The 54-year-old has previously attracted interest from elsewhere, including reported talks with Milan in May, but US Soccer has remained confident of its position. The federation’s chief executive, JT Batson, said at the time that Pochettino had been open throughout the process.
“[Pochettino], and the entire team, has been incredibly transparent [through] the entire process,” Batson said. “He had standing offers from other places to come [when we hired him initially], and he wanted to be here. He’s a big believer in what we’re doing at US Soccer. He’s a big believer in soccer in America, and he’s a big believer in this men’s team.”
Pochettino is understood to be among the highest-paid national team coaches, earning a reported $4m a year before performance-related bonuses. His 22-month spell has produced mixed results overall, but USA have delivered their strongest World Cup group-stage campaign under his leadership.
Victories over Australia and Paraguay secured top spot before a narrow defeat by an already-eliminated Turkey in the final group game. The US now face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32.
Pochettino, who had not coached international football before taking the role, has increasingly signalled that he could remain beyond this tournament despite widespread expectations that he would depart after the finals.
“We told the federation we are open,” Pochettino said. “But we don’t want to distract when all the energy needs to be with my players. If the American people start to show passion in our sport too, why not be here being part of something that can create a legacy? For me, the most important legacy is the connection between the national team and the fans.”
