Pellegrino Matarazzo to USMNT coaching job not as close as some thought

From Jürgen Klopp to Gareth Southgate to Mauricio Pochettino, and now Pellegrino Matarazzo, the USMNT head coaching role has been a vortex of speculation, high-profile names, and various approaches—yet ultimately, these discussions have led nowhere. 

In the cases of Klopp and Pochettino, neither manager has shown interest in coaching the United States. Gareth Southgate, having recently led England to two consecutive Euro Cup finals, seems unlikely to change having led the Three Lions recently for the USMNT.

Recent reports from Germany suggested that Matarazzo, an American coach at Hoffenheim, was a serious contender for the USMNT role. However, Matarazzo himself has downplayed these claims. He recently told Kicker, “These are false statements (about leaving the club and taking over the USMNT). I have never said I would like to leave our club.”

Is Pellegrino Matarazzo the right answer for USMNT? 

Derek Rae has reported that US Soccer’s interest in Matarazzo dates back approximately two weeks. Matarazzo, in a bid for transparency, had informed then-club boss Alex Rosen—who has since left—that this interest was emerging. 

The timing of this disclosure, following Rosen’s departure, highlights possible internal unrest within the club. Amid this uncertainty, Hoffenheim star player Andrej Kramaric has publicly backed Matarazzo, dismissing any rumors of player dissatisfaction as false. 

Pellegrino Matarazzo

Kramaric has emphasized that both he and the team fully support the coach. Nonetheless, the club faces ambiguity over who will make sporting decisions in Rosen’s absence, a matter that remains unresolved.

see also

USMNT: The legacy of Gregg Berhalter

Matarazzo, known for employing a 3-5-2 formation, is seen as a mid-table manager with a record of 53-65-41 across three clubs. For the US Soccer program, which has often fallen short of delivering on promises to pursue significant managerial hires, Matarazzo could be viewed as more of the same—an unknown commodity. 

While US Soccer did hire Jürgen Klinsmann, the program’s biggest name coach to date, Klinsmann’s managerial pedigree was put into question by several German reporters and former Germany national team players prior to being hired by US Soccer.