Let’s get this straight. After Jurgen Klinsmann, the USMNT has certainly signed their own Emma Hayes, hopefully. A stunning European pedigree and a knack for getting the best out of players, Mauricio Pochettino is the new coach of the men’s national soccer team. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup happening in our country, he comes as the best manager to unleash the potential of young stars. Significantly, the USWNT won the Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympics. So, it’s time for the men’s team to shine.

He is the best out there, make no mistake about it. A former USMNT soccer player, Herculez Gomez, mentioned how he “ticks a lot of boxes.”

It’s certainly true considering he managed clubs like Tottenham Hotspur. The Argentine guided them to their maiden Champions League final. Moreover, he managed PSG, a squad filled with egos of star players. Taking Southampton to their best-place finish gives positive signs for the manager. Hence, Gomez detailed the appointment in a perfect summary.

His stint at PSG became quite successful when he managed to get Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar to play together. That’s not a straightforward challenge. Although they failed to win the Champions League, PSG became turned into a video-game-like team. Gomez stated, “Listen if you can deal with the egos of the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi. Then certainly you can deal with the egos of Tyler Adams, Christian Pulisics, Timothy Weah, Giovanni Reynas of the world. Ticks a lot of boxes.” 

He continued, “Big European name. He is one of the best club managers out there. Matt Crocker promised a big name and there is a big name.” After Gregg Berhalter, the technical director of the United States Soccer Federation promised a ‘big name’ to the club. He took his contact at Southampton, where Poch served as a manager. Crocker was a technical director of the club at that time. Therefore, he is certainly a big name at the helm.

Can Mauricio Pochettino handle the expectations of USMNT?

Gomez continued to focus on how he “worked with young talent and developing the said young talent.” He mentioned how he developed young players at Spurs and Southampton, developing young talent into superstars. Accordingly, with Crocker and Pochettino’s connection, the USMNT could become a powerhouse in soccer. The team lacked a certain coach for some years, and Poch can prevent Pulisic and Reyna from going into what-if soccer players.

This is a golden generation of the USMNT and they are not getting any younger. The 2026 World Cup builds up to become a major event. The entire soccer fraternity is waiting for the USMNT to kick into fifth gear and unleash its potential. Hopefully, Poch can lead us to our destiny!

Do you think he is the right man for the job? Let us know in the comments.