Mauricio Pochettino, the head coach of the United States men’s national team, has recently been linked with a move to AC Milan, but he remains open to continuing his work with the U.S. side after the upcoming World Cup.
A dinner that could reshape U.S. soccer
During a dinner in New York, Pochettino sat down with U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson to explore the terms of a potential contract extension that would keep him in charge through the tournament.
Pochettino has already finalized a starting XI for the first match against Paraguay and believes that Christian Pulisic, despite a stretch of eight games without a goal since November 2024, can still turn the tide for the team.
Pulisic’s search for redemption
Pulisic’s recent slump follows his decision to skip last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, a choice he made to focus on vacation and recovery rather than immediate competition.
Matt Crocker, the sporting director who advocated for Pochettino’s appointment, announced his resignation to take a position with the governing body of Saudi Arabian soccer, leaving a vacancy in the U.S. federation’s leadership structure.
JT Batson, while optimistic about the coach’s future, noted that the federation is still considering whether to appoint a single sporting director to oversee both the men’s and women’s programs, a move that could reshape the organization’s approach.