Pochettino extends USMNT deal through 2030 World Cup
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- Pochettino signed a new contract through the 2030 World Cup to remain USMNT manager, with assistants Jesus Perez, Miguel D'Agostino, Toni Jiménez, Sebastian Pochettino, and Silvia Tuyà all staying on staff, U.S. Soccer announced Monday.
- The reappointment is backed by a philanthropic leadership gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, with additional support from Scott Goodwin, Adam Freede, and several commercial partners.
- Pochettino led the U.S. to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup — a 4-1 loss to Belgium — after winning Group D and beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the round of 32, finishing with a 17-12-2 record.
- Despite previous links to AC Milan and Real Madrid and his stated longing for club football, Pochettino called the connection with fans during the World Cup 'the key point' in his decision to stay.
- The contract includes 'mutual protection' provisions if the relationship ends before the end of the cycle, per a source with direct knowledge of the discussions.
- Pochettino will navigate World Cup qualifying for the first time — something he didn't need to do for 2026 because the U.S. was a co-host — though six Concacaf teams will qualify for 2030.
- No U.S. manager has successfully reached a second World Cup cycle: Bob Bradley, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Gregg Berhalter were all fired, and Bruce Arena was eliminated in the 2006 group stage after reaching the 2002 quarterfinals.
Why it matters: Pochettino gets the longest USMNT manager runway in modern memory — a deal through 2030 with Griffin-backed funding. The bet breaks a grim pattern: Bradley, Klinsmann, and Berhalter were all fired before a second cycle, and Arena couldn't escape the 2006 group stage. U.S. Soccer is paying for culture over quick results.
