Will Mauricio Pochettino remain the manager of the United States men's national team? That's been a popular question ever since the USMNT were eliminated by Belgium in the 2026 World Cup.
Pochettino had the USMNT thriving in the group stage of the World Cup, picking up wins over Paraguay and Australia. His squad then had a convincing 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32. Unfortunately for the USMNT, everything came crashing down the following round against Belgium.
Despite their brutal exit, the USMNT offered Pochettino an extension that would give him the chance at another World Cup run.
"We are evaluating it, looking at it," Pochettino said on July 16. "[U.S. Soccer] have made me an offer to continue, and we will see. Next week we will [make] a decision."
Well, it sounds like Pochettino has made his decision.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, the USMNT is expected to sign Pochettino to an extension that'll run through the 2030 World Cup.
© Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Not everyone is on board with this decision from the USMNT.
After the United States lost to Belgium in the Round of 16, ESPN gave Pochettino a "D" grade for the 2026 World Cup.
“Along the same lines as Tuchel, U.S. Soccer hired a super coach to elevate a talented but underperforming group of players. Pochettino did enough to get a nation believing in the group stage, but as soon as the USMNT faced a competent team in Belgium, it lost,” ESPN wrote.
Several soccer fans share that same exact sentiment.
"Long-term deals don’t guarantee progress USMNT still lacks a clear identity on the pitch," one fan commented.
"USA should have tried another coach with the way Pochettino was eliminated," another fan wrote on X.
