Mauricio Pochettino set for USMNT send-offs before Manchester United gig

By Charles Boehm

It’s been in the works all week, then Mauricio Pochettino and U.S. Soccer made it official on Friday morning.

The US men’s national team’s upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series vs. Haiti will be the Argentine’s swan song as head coach, before he and his core staff depart to take the helm at beleaguered English Premier League giants Manchester United.

"I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you so much," Pochettino said during his matchday-1 press conference ahead of Saturday’s first-leg clash at Inter Miami CF’s Nu Stadium, which Haiti have selected as their home venue due to chronic instability in their homeland (4:30 pm ET).

"The last two years, I think you made me feel really well, really happy doing my job, sharing an amazing project, being part of this family. It is difficult now for me to talk because I am a very emotional guy.

"We learn a lot from you all, from this country, those amazing people. I think it was one of the most difficult decisions in our career."

Emotional farewell

‘Poch’ and his assistants renewed their contracts with U.S. Soccer just a few months ago, signing through the 2030 FIFA World Cup shortly after this year’s tournament run ended with a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16.

His work in the September/October camp also reflected a long-term mindset, with Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall and six other teenagers among the host of newcomers handed their debut caps with the USMNT in four impressive friendly victories.

"What you've done with the men's and the boys program in two years has been unbelievable," said federation president Cindy Parlow Cone. "Not only have you contributed to their advancement. You've contributed to the entire federation being better, and you have been such a great partner to all of us.

"We obviously are in a stronger place today than we were two years ago," Parlow Cone added. "We have great veteran leadership with a mix of young players that are up and coming, as we've seen through the last window, and then hopefully they'll show it during this window as well. We have a great foundation and lots to build upon, and I am energized about our future."

Storied club

Yet when one of the world’s most iconic clubs comes calling, it’s hard for anyone to resist. Let alone a manager with Pochettino’s experience, admiration and distinct sense of unfinished business in the Premier League, where he became a global name during a sterling stint in charge of Tottenham Hotspur from 2014-19.

"It's not too many opportunities that can happen in your career like a side [like] Manchester United, and of course, when that arrives, it's difficult to turn down that situation," he admitted. "But what I want to make clear, when we decide together to extend our commitment, always was the commitment for the federation.

"We recover our motivation," he added about his reinvigorating adventure in North America. "We recover our capacity to dream big, the capacity to train players that really want to improve and really want to share good moments, and players that really care about the federation and this country, and they want to put the country and the federation in the place they deserve to be."

Lasting impact

Poch went on to point out – as Parlow Cone and CEO JT Batson, the federation leaders sitting next to him, know full well – that the reality of the game’s elite levels is that they could easily be the ones cutting him loose should results shift in the wrong direction.

This, however, is a very amicable parting, with Pochettino driven to tears at one point. That’s because, aside from the high-profile Belgium heartbreak, he leaves the program in good health, with a large and exciting player pool, renewed interest from the American mainstream and growing respect abroad.

It also helps greatly that a release clause in Poch’s newest contract requires Man Utd to compensate U.S. Soccer, reportedly around $10 million or more, in order to lure him away. Batson confirmed that those resources can be mobilized as U.S. Soccer sees fit, most likely towards the recruitment of the next USMNT boss, and added that the wealthy benefactors who helped underwrite Pochettino’s hire are expected to maintain that support for his successor.

"We have a team with great momentum," Batson declared. "Mauricio and his staff have raised the standard at U.S. Soccer every day they've been here. We have clearer connections now between our youth national teams and our senior team. The culture that Mauricio helped set within our team and even more broadly within the federation is something that will last for many, many, many years to come.

"Mauricio and his staff are some of the biggest champions of the young American player, and of course we saw that in our last window. And the belief of what's possible for soccer in this country has never been higher."

For the badge

Now the Yanks must maintain focus and ensure a successful send-off by defeating a Haitian side that, in their 2026 World Cup performances, showed they’re not to be taken lightly. The words of Pochettino and his players this week suggested they understand that assignment, with striker Folarin Balogun highlighting “ownership” in the team’s culture that will outlast the departing manager.

“He’s just created a great foundation and a great base for this team,” said former Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, one of Poch’s biggest success stories. “We all know what we’re expected [to do]. We’re always working 100%, we’re always fighting, we’re always doing the little things to make sure we’re representing this country in the right way.

"He really instilled that in us. Even though he’s an Argentinian coach, he made us even more proud to be American, and I think that speaks volumes of who he is as a person and as a coach. I think he’s already set a good foundation … and we’re going to keep doing that."