Pochettino Exits USMNT for Manchester United as U.S. Soccer Begins Coaching Search

The U.S. Men's National Team is searching for a new head coach following the departure of 54-year-old Mauricio Pochettino, who is set to take over at Manchester United after guiding the Americans to the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Pochettino's exit comes after Manchester United officially parted ways with Michael Carrick on Thursday, leaving U.S. Soccer to fill the vacancy ahead of Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti on Saturday and Tuesday.

The sudden opening forces U.S. Soccer into an expedited search with major tournaments approaching, including upcoming Nations League and Gold Cup campaigns followed by qualification matches for the 2030 World Cup. Pochettino's departure requires the federation to quickly assess available elite international coaches as well as domestic managers established in Major League Soccer and European leagues.

Potential candidates reported for the role include 55-year-old Pep Guardiola, who remains unattached after ten trophy-laden seasons at Manchester City, and 48-year-old New Jersey native Pellegrino Matarazzo, who recently led Real Sociedad to a Copa del Rey title. Other contenders under consideration include former Portugal manager Roberto Martínez, 53, current U.S. Olympic team coach Steve Cherundolo, 47, Nashville SC manager B.J. Callaghan, and 62-year-old former Belgium manager Luis Garcia.

What to watch next: U.S. Soccer will navigate the upcoming two-leg series against Haiti while federation leadership works to finalize a permanent head coaching appointment.