The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team recently confirmed the arrival of a new coach. The experienced Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed to lead a team that aims to rise to prominence in both friendlies and upcoming competitions. The team’s star, Christian Pulisic, shared his thoughts on the matter.
The historic player for the national team is an authoritative voice on matters surrounding soccer in the United States, and the arrival of the former Chelsea and PSG coach is no exception.
In an interview with CBS, ‘Captain America,’ as Pulisic is known, shared his feelings on the matter: “It’s great for us. To have someone as experienced as him coming in. We have the talent and now it’s time to hopefully have a coach who’s going to take us to the next level.”
Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, who had a successful stint at Tottenham in England, arrives to replace Gregg Berhalter in the national hotseat. It’s important to note that the U.S. is already qualified for the upcoming World Cup as one of the host nations.
Pochettino and the goal of solidifying a group
The arrival of Argentine coach Pochettino to the U.S. national team means steering a squad that boasts unprecedented talent, but struggles to translate that into cohesive performance during matches.
A somewhat lackluster Copa America, combined with recent friendlies against Canada and New Zealand that yielded little insight, paints a somewhat gray picture for the United States. They need to improve as they look ahead to their main competition: the 2026 World Cup.
Pochettino will have the AC Milan star, Christian Pulisic, in his squad, who is enjoying a strong run in the Italian league and is gradually working to become the undisputed leader of the USMNT.
The highest-paid coach on the continent
It was clear that the arrival of a coach of Pochettino’s caliber would not be affordable for most national teams. However, once he signed, he became the highest-paid coach on the continent, earning $6 million annually for his work.
In comparison to other coaches in the Americas, ‘Poch’ is several steps ahead of his peers, including the current world champion Lionel Scaloni, Marcelo Bielsa in Uruguay, and Ricardo Gareca in Chile.