An emotional Mauricio Pochettino confirmed on Friday that he is leaving his position as head coach of the United States men's national team to take charge at Manchester United, describing the move as the hardest choice of his professional life.
Pochettino will remain on the bench for two more games, the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti on Saturday and Tuesday, before traveling to Manchester. Steve Cherundolo, who has been coaching the under-23 squad, will lead the previously scheduled December camp, which features a primarily MLS-based roster.
The Argentine signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at Old Trafford after an agreement was finalized Thursday. Speaking through tears at a news conference, he said: "It's the most difficult decision of my career, but we need to move forward." He added that he believed the U.S. players supported his choice, saying: "They know that not too many opportunities happen in your career like Manchester United. When it arrives, it's difficult to turn down."
Pochettino departs just over three months after renewing a contract that would have carried him through the 2030 World Cup. His deal included a release clause under which Manchester United will pay U.S. Soccer around $10 million.
Hired in September 2024 to replace Gregg Berhalter, Pochettino led the Americans to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, where the U.S. finished first in its group and earned its first knockout round victory since 2002. He leaves with a 21-12-2 record, and his three wins at the tournament stand as the most World Cup victories by any head coach in U.S. men's team history.
U.S. Soccer did not immediately name a successor. In a news release, the federation said U.S. women's national team coach Emma Hayes will be among those involved in the search, along with CEO and secretary general JT Batson, chief operating officer Dan Helfrich and vice president for sporting Oguchi Onyewu, "drawing on input from leaders across U.S. Soccer and the global soccer landscape."
Flanked by Batson and federation president Cindy Parlow Cone, Pochettino thanked the federation and its people for their transparency and for always putting the federation's interests first. He noted the unusual nature of his tears, saying a coach normally cries after being sacked rather than when leaving by choice. "That is opposite. Like I said before, it's really tough decision, but in the same time we are exciting for that step forward."
The move marks a return to the Premier League for Pochettino, who previously managed Southampton from 2013 to 2014, Tottenham Hotspur from 2014 to 2019 and Chelsea during the 2023-24 campaign. He said Manchester United's interest developed quickly, with negotiations accelerating Sunday, and that he kept U.S. Soccer informed at all times. He declined to discuss his new club in detail, saying: "It's not the moment to talk [about Manchester United]. It's the moment to be committed like always," and stressed that the focus remains on the two upcoming games against Haiti.
