Mauricio Pochettino said goodbye to the USMNT on Friday in an emotional press conference ahead of the matches against Haiti. Visibly moved, and even shedding tears, the coach spoke about his decision to leave the national team to take over Manchester United.
Pochettino began by thanking everyone for the opportunity, while acknowledging how hard the decision was. “I appreciate having been part of this project, of having been in this beautiful country, of them opening the doors for me, and as much as one wants, it’s a difficult decision to make to try to fulfill your dreams,” he said, calling it “one of the most difficult decisions of my career”.
The Argentine coach then described how different his feelings are from those of a typical coaching exit. “Normally you’re sad when you get fired, but in this case I’m sad about accepting a project and leaving you,” he added.
He also made clear that the process was handled openly with the federation. “I was always very transparent with JT and Cindy. I told them first, then the staff and the players,” Pochettino explained, referring to U.S. Soccer CEO and Secretary General JT Batson and President Cindy Parlow Cone.
The final decision between the national team and Manchester United, he said, was to finish his time with the squad in the upcoming matches against Haiti, and the federation accepted it.
Pochettino leaves with a record of 21 wins, 12 losses, and 2 draws in 35 matches since being named in September 2024. In that time, he reached the 2025 Gold Cup Final and led the team to the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup on home soil, where the U.S. finished first in its group and earned its first knockout-round victory since 2002.
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What’s next for the USMNT
With Pochettino’s exit confirmed, the focus now turns to who will take charge of the team. The Argentine coach and his staff will remain on the bench for the matches against Haiti on Nov. 14 and 17, after which Steve Cherundolo will lead the team in the December camp, with a primarily MLS-based roster.
In the meantime, a search committee led by Batson and U.S. Soccer Chief Operating Officer Dan Helfrich, which also includes Emma Hayes and Oguchi Onyewu, will look for the next head coach.
Batson also spoke at the press conference about the agreement with Manchester United, which he linked to the team’s future. “As you know, the money will be used to invest in all the national team categories. We are very grateful for everyone’s support to keep growing this,” he said.
For now, Pochettino’s attention remains on the two matches against Haiti, the final chapter of a stint that ends with U.S. Soccer looking to build on what he leaves behind and decide who will carry the team forward.
