US Soccer went shopping for a world-class coach and came home with Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine manager who previously led Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final and managed Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. His mission: deliver the US Men’s National Team its first knockout-round victory at a World Cup since 2002.
Pochettino’s compensation package is estimated at roughly $6 million annually, which includes a $2.5 million signing bonus. That makes him the highest-paid coach in US Soccer history, a distinction that reflects just how seriously the federation is treating the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
How the deal came together
Pochettino was appointed in September 2024, replacing Gregg Berhalter after a turbulent stretch for the national program. His first match in charge was a 2-0 friendly win over Panama on October 12, 2024.
By spring 2026, the USMNT had compiled a record of 13 wins, 7 losses, and 2 draws under Pochettino.
