US national coach
©IMAGO
Mauricio Pochettino has coached 294 Premier League games. If the 53-year-old has his way, more will be added in the future. But first, as the USA national coach, he has his sights set on the World Cup next summer.
“The Premier League is the best league in the world. Of course I miss it. I am very happy in the USA, but I always think of returning one day. It is the strongest league and of course I would like to come back,” Pochettino said in an interview with the “BBC“He is still young and feels full of energy, experience and motivation to try again in the future to win the Premier League and also the Champions League.
The Argentine was in charge of Southampton FC in the English elite league from 2013 to 2014, Tottenham Hotspur from 2014 to 2019 and Chelsea FC from 2023 to 2024. He probably had his best time with Spurs, who under his leadership celebrated their best performance in the Premier League era with a runner-up finish in the 2016/17 season and reached the Champions League final two years later (0-2 against Liverpool FC). When asked which game he wanted to experience again, he named a different one: Spurs’ away win at Ajax in the previous round. “It was one of the best moments of my career, of my life. The feeling was incredible. The emotions…” said Pochettino about the 3-2, in which Lucas Moura scored the winning goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Pochettino has looked after the USA national team since 2024. So far there are 14 wins in 22 games. The Americans will host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. In Group D they will face Paraguay, Australia and an opponent yet to be determined in the March playoffs. There will be a final test against the DFB team on June 6th, around a week before the start of the World Cup. “It will be fantastic. The USA is a great country with great people and fans. I invite everyone to visit America and experience the excitement,” said Pochettino, whose contract runs until after the World Cup.