US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino was in tears today as he addressed his final press conference before joining Manchester United.
An emotional Mauricio Pochettino was reduced to tears during his final press conference as USA head coach ahead of his move to Manchester United 😢❤️ pic.twitter.com/jtOEefvFF7
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 13, 2026
Pochettino set to replace Michael Carrick as head coach
U.S. Soccer extended Pochettino’s contract through the 2030 World Cup on 3 August, securing the Argentine beyond the tournament staged in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
United created a vacancy when they dismissed head coach Michael Carrick on 12 November. The Red Devils were 18th in the Premier League after winning three of their opening 15 matches across all competitions.
Earlier today, the Old Trafford outfit confirmed that they had appointed the Argentine as Carrick’s replacement.
Pochettino’s immediate schedule involves two Nations League fixtures against Haiti, giving him international responsibilities to complete before he can join United on the 18th.
Pochettino sets next week as the time to address United
Pochettino said:
““Always when you arrive in this type of moment it is a tough moment. It is not an easy decision. We are excited for that step, but now is not the moment to talk.
“We were very transparent. We were talking with the federation. Yesterday when things were positive in the way that the agreement was, we had a meeting and I communicated to the players and the whole staff.
“The decision is between the federation and Manchester United that we continue with our job in the camp.
“I think we will have time next week to talk about the job at Manchester United. Now I think it is better to talk about USA soccer and the national team. We have two games ahead and the focus is completely on this.”
From Espanyol to the United States
Pochettino played as a central defender for Newell’s Old Boys, Espanyol, Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux. He also won 20 caps for Argentina and appeared at the 2002 World Cup.
His managerial career began with Espanyol in 2009. Southampton appointed him in January 2013, before Tottenham Hotspur brought him to north London from the Saints in May 2014.
Pochettino led Tottenham to the 2019 Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool. Spurs dismissed him in November that year following a disappointing sequence of domestic results.
He subsequently managed Paris Saint-Germain, winning Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France. Chelsea employed him during the 2023/24 campaign, with the two parties mutually agreeing to separate in May 2024.
U.S. Soccer appointed Pochettino in September 2024, and he went on to lead the national team into the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
Final Thoughts
- United have announced Pochettino will join on 18th November.
- Pochettino was in tears at a USMNT presser, saying quitting was the hardest decision of his career.
- Pochettino has said he will discuss the United job next week.
- His current focus is on the US men’s national team’s next two matches.
| Season | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals for | Goals against | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008/09 | RCD Espanyol Barcelona | 21 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 31 | 20 | 42.9% |
| 2009/10 | RCD Espanyol Barcelona | 40 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 30 | 49 | 27.5% |
| 2010/11 | RCD Espanyol Barcelona | 42 | 16 | 6 | 20 | 50 | 58 | 38.1% |
| 2011/12 | RCD Espanyol Barcelona | 44 | 15 | 11 | 18 | 59 | 66 | 34.1% |
| 2012/13 | Southampton FC | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 19 | 20 | 25.0% |
| 2012/13 | RCD Espanyol Barcelona | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 25 | 14.3% |
| 2013/14 | Southampton FC | 44 | 19 | 11 | 14 | 68 | 53 | 43.2% |
| 2014/15 | Tottenham Hotspur | 57 | 29 | 12 | 16 | 91 | 71 | 50.9% |
| 2015/16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 53 | 26 | 16 | 11 | 95 | 53 | 49.1% |
| 2016/17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 53 | 33 | 10 | 10 | 117 | 44 | 62.3% |
| 2017/18 | Tottenham Hotspur | 55 | 33 | 12 | 10 | 113 | 53 | 60.0% |
| 2018/19 | Tottenham Hotspur | 58 | 34 | 4 | 20 | 109 | 71 | 58.6% |
| 2019/20 | Tottenham Hotspur | 17 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 34 | 30 | 29.4% |
| 2020/21 | Paris Saint-Germain | 34 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 80 | 35 | 70.6% |
| 2020/21 | United States | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 9 | 83.3% |
| Season | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals for | Goals against | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | United States | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 60.0% |
| 2021/22 | Paris Saint-Germain | 50 | 32 | 10 | 8 | 116 | 52 | 64.0% |
| 2023/24 | Chelsea FC | 51 | 27 | 10 | 14 | 107 | 76 | 52.9% |
| 2024/25 | United States | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 50.0% |
| 2025/26 | United States | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 50.0% |
| 2026/27 | United States | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 100.0% |
Featured image by Alex Grimm via Getty Images
