Who could replace Mauricio Pochettino as USMNT coach after the 2026 World Cup
Mauricio Pochettino is fully focused on leading the US men’s national team at this summer’s World Cup.
The expectation on the hosts is to make it out of a tough group with Paraguay, Australia and Turkey and reach the knockout rounds — but the head coach believes it’s possible to go even further.
“Why not? It’s all about belief,” he said, when asked if the USMNT could lift the trophy on home soil.
“Look at Morocco (reaching the semi-finals) in Qatar (2022) — I think anything is possible in football.”
Pochettino’s appointment in September 2024 was a real sign of intent from the US Soccer Federation (USSF).
He arrived as a seasoned and highly respected manager, following successful stints with top European clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
The USSF hope to leverage his experience and tactical acumen to find success on the international stage this summer, and also believe that Pochettino was the right man to make a lasting impact on the US soccer landscape.
But beyond the 2026 World Cup, he might not be sticking around for much longer.
The Argentine signed a two-year contract that will take him through the tournament, which concludes with the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
5 candidates to replace Mauricio Pochettino after 2026 World Cup
No agreement on an extension has been announced, and while Pochettino has suggested he could stay, he’s also openly flirted with the idea of returning to the Premier League.
He was, after all, a big-swing hire for what’s expected to be the biggest tournament in US soccer history.
Results have gone against him in recent months, and one legend has sounded the alarm, but the 54-year-old will surely have his team in the right shape to compete by the time they kick off on June 12 at SoFi Stadium.
In all likelihood, Pochettino will oversee a strong showing on home soil, but his long-term status is in doubt.
And that begs the question: Who could replace him if he decides to walk away from the USMNT?
B.J. Callaghan – Nashville SC
The presumptive favorite is a man who already knows about coaching the USMNT.
B.J. Callaghan was an assistant coach and strategy analyst under Gregg Berhalter, who preceded Pochettino.
He was also interim head coach for just under two months in 2023, and impressed across seven games.
The USMNT won four of those under Callaghan, and claimed the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League with a 2-0 victory over Canada, while also making a run to the semifinals of the Gold Cup.
He didn’t get the full-time job at the time, with the USSF turning back to Berhalter, but club management came calling instead.
Callaghan has since impressed with Nashville SC in Major League Soccer, where he won the US Open Cup in 2025 and has established the team as a force in the Eastern Conference.
If the USMNT wants to build on the work Pochettino has done, they would be smart to turn to a man who already has knowledge of the inner workings.
Pep Guardiola – Manchester City
Should US Soccer wish to make another splash, Pep Guardiola would be the man to go for.
He’s won all there is at club level, with untouchable spells at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City.
Guardiola’s contract at Etihad Stadium runs until 2027, although there has been speculation he could walk away at the end of the current campaign, after a decade at City.
When Pep does move on, the natural next step would be to international management, and he could be the best bet to lead the USMNT into the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
Jurgen Klopp – Red Bull
Jurgen Klopp was the first call Matt Crocker made when trying to appoint a new coach in 2024.
Klopp said no, insisting that he needed a break after stepping away from Liverpool, and has since taken a role away from the sidelines with Red Bull.
He’s currently Head of Global Soccer for the organization, and seems content.
It’s also important to note that Crocker recently departed the USSF too, so their wider interest in Klopp is no longer known.
However, the German has always been tipped to return to management, and would be welcome in any international setup.
The role with his home county is already held by Julian Nagelsmann, and England — where he coached for nine years — have committed to Thomas Tuchel.
It’s not beyond reason to suggest that a vacant role with the USMNT would be the most appealing, should Klopp wish to get back on the sideline soon.
Didier Deschamps – France national team
If the USSF wants to build a team that can challenge for the World Cup, why not target a man that has won it already?
Didier Deschamps has been with France since 2012, and led his nation to glory in 2018 before coming just short of defending the title in 2022, losing to Lionel Messi and Argentina on penalties.
He’s set to leave his position with Les Bleus following the World Cup this summer, and the idea of a new challenge, across the Atlantic, could be intriguing for Deschamps.
However, he would not be working with the level of talent he’s had for more than a decade with France, who are FIFA’s No. 1 ranked team heading into the 2026 World Cup.
Pellegrino Matarazzo – Real Sociedad
Arguably the wild card on the list, Pellegrino Matarazzo would actually make plenty of sense to succeed Pochettino with the USMNT.
The New Jersey native has already made history in Europe as the first American manager in La Liga — and the first to win a trophy.
He led Real Sociedad to Copa del Rey glory earlier this season, beating Atletico Madrid on penalties.
Matarazzo has overseen an impressive turnaround in the league too.
He took over the Basque Country club in December 2025 when they were just two points above the relegation zone, and four months on, has them on the brink of qualifying for European football next season.
While Matarazzo has previously played down the idea of coaching the USMNT, having missed out on the job to Pochettino in 2024, there may be a chance the USSF can lure him away from Spain to take up the mantle post-World Cup.
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