The U.S. Men's National Team is in the market for a head coach , and with the 2026 FIFA World Cup looming, they don't have long to make a decision.
The U.S. Soccer Federation fired long-time head coach Gregg Berhalter in July after a poor showing in the 2024 Copa América in which the U.
S. failed to advance from their group. USSF Sporting Director Matt Crocker, himself in the job for just over a year, has now been tasked with finding a new coach to lead the program forward into the 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
That event is set to be a watershed moment for soccer in North America. The sport in the United States and Canada is nearly unrecognizable from when the World Cup last came to the U.S.
in 1994, with Major League Soccer fully established and thriving, TV viewership numbers soaring , and interest in the sport at an all-time high with Lionel Messi's arrival in Miami. Hiring the right person to be the next USMNT manager is a crucial decision that could impact not only the team's performance in 2026, but how soccer is perceived in America. Time is not on their side.
Crocker has said that his goal is to avoid naming an interim manager , and instead have a permanent manager in place for the September international window . Despite speculation to the contrary, the U.S.
Soccer Federation can shell out big money for a top manager , with ESPN 's Jeff Carlisle reporting in July that the total compensation package could "reach the high seven figures." So who could take the reins for the USMNT at one of the most crucial points in the program's history? Let's look at some options. This would be a huge coup for the United States.
Mauricio Pochettino Age: 52 Teams managed: Espanyol (2009-2012), Southampton (2013-2014), Tottenham Hotspur (2014-2019), PSG (2021-2022), Chelsea (2023-2024) Current status: Unattached One of the hottest managerial names currently available , the former Argentina international's candidature has quickly gained steam with his lengthy experience at the highest levels of the European game. Pochettino took Southampton to an 8th-place finish in the 2013-14 season, their highest points tally since 1993. He had unprecedented success with Tottenham, taking them to four-consecutive Top 4 finishes and a memorable run to the 2018-19 Champions League final, where they fell 2-0 to Liverpool.
After winning Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain in 2021-22, he returned to an in-flux Chelsea side, lasting just one season after a sixth-place finish. Stylistically, Pochettino tends to set up in a 4-2-3-1 that involves a complex high-pressing system and a patient buildup. His teams make heavy use of their outside backs, and ask more from their strikers in possession than in front of goal.
He's also been able to get a lot of production from his teams in transition, a traditional strength of the USMNT, though less effective with their current personnel. The main issue with Pochettino is longevity . After leaving Tottenham, he's lasted just one season at both PSG and Chelsea, and by the end of his tenure his sides were clearly burnt out and ready for a change.
Some of this will likely be mitigated by the different structure of the international game, where he'll have three to four weeks a year with his players instead of the every-day training routine. The USMNT also doesn't necessarily need a long-term manager , but rather one to guide them through the next two years and raise their level in 2026. According to The Athletic 's Paul Tenorio, Pochettino is a high priority target for U.
S. Soccer , and they've already reached out to his camp to begin negotiations. After being turned down by Jurgen Klopp early in the process, Pochettino is still an ambitious second choice who both fits the profile the fanbase desires, while making sense on the pitch.
Steve Cherundolo Age: 45 Teams managed: Las Vegas Lights (2021-2022), LAFC (2022-current) Current status: Under contract with LAFC (MLS) The former right back spent his entire 15-year playing career with Hannover 96 and was a fixture for the USMNT , earning 87 caps and playing in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. After retiring in 2014, he worked as an assistant with Hannover and Stuttgart before taking a job with LAFC. After a season as the head coach of their reserve team in the USL Championship, Cherundolo replaced Bob Bradley as the head coach of LAFC, winning the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup in his first season (2022).
While still relatively inexperienced as a head coach, Cherundolo has a wealth of high-level experience as an assistant. This has been evident while at the helm at LAFC, where he immediately got results and maintained their high levels of success. While initially pragmatic, his style has expanded into a more possession-based approach during the 2024 season, and there are certainly reasons to think it could translate to the international level.
He's relatively inexperienced as a head coach, though, with just three seasons in sole charge of a team . And while he's been a serial winner with LAFC, he's also had a significant advantage working for one of the most ambitious ownership groups in MLS, consistently operating with one of the most talented and cutting-edge rosters in the league. He wouldn't guarantee success with the national team, but his potential is obvious.
Patrick Vieira Age: 48 Teams managed: NYCFC (2016-2018), OGC Nice (2018-2020), Crystal Palace (2021-2023), Strasbourg (2023-2024) Current status: Free agent A world-class midfielder in his playing days, the former France international has found success harder to come by as a coach . After leaving the Manchester City organization, he's bounced around several organizations, most recently parting ways with Strasbourg after a 13th-place finish in the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season. Stints with OGC Nice and Crystal Palace saw similar results, with Vieira's most successful tenure coming with New York City FC in MLS, finishing in second place in the Eastern Conference in 2017.
Vieira is familiar with the U.S. player pool from his time in MLS, and he worked with attacker Giovanni Reyna, who was in NYCFC's youth academy during his tenure.
His teams have often played an expansive style, albeit inconsistently. And in addition to unique experience, his storied playing career demands respect in any locker room. What he lacks, though, is a sustained record of success .
Despite positive results in the regular season, his NYCFC teams failed to advance in either of their MLS Cup Playoff appearances, and in both France and England, his sides often hovered near the relegation zones. He would be an interesting hire, but certainly not a guarantor of success . Pellegrino Matarazzo Age: 46 Teams managed: FC Nürnberg II (2011), VfB Stuttgart (2019-2022), TSG Hoffenheim (2023-current) Current status: Under contract with TSG Hoffenheim (Bundesliga) A native of New Jersey, the former defender plied his trade in the lower-levels of the German soccer pyramid, playing over 200 matches in a 10-year career before retiring in 2011 to take the interim job at FC Nürnberg II.
After several years as an assistant, including under current German national team boss Julian Nagelsmann, he made his head coaching debut with Stuttgart in 2019, earning promotion back to the Bundesliga in his first season, and narrowly avoiding relegation the season after. Matarazzo is a rare example of an American spending his entire coaching career in Europe , and has kept teams competitive amidst significant budget and personnel deficiencies. His teams typically employ a high press, and he's done a good job getting performances from players who have often been overlooked.
He hasn't been without moderate success, either, finishing seventh with Hoffenheim in the 2022-23 Bundesliga season and earning a spot in the Europa League. At the same time, though, he lacks experience at the highest levels of soccer, spending his coaching career hovering around the relegation zones. His sides have struggled to win consistently, as indicated by his career win percentage of just 33.
33 percent . He also doesn't have quite the name recognition to excite the casual fan ahead of the World Cup, and would be a high-risk option for the job. There's also the minor issue that Matarazzo has since publicly stated that he plans on staying with Hoffenheim .
Wilfried Nancy Age: 47 Teams managed: CF Montréal (2021-2022), Columbus Crew (2023-current) Current status: Under contract with Columbus Crew (MLS) Wilfried Nancy is quite possibly the best manager Major League Soccer has ever seen . Despite being at the start of what should be a long career, the Frenchman has instantly transformed the two sides he's managed with an equally beautiful and effective style of play that has earned results at every level. After starting as a youth and assistant coach in Montréal, Nancy turned the perennially under-performing side into a free-flowing dynamo, taking them to second place in the Eastern Conference in the 2022 season.
His debut season with Columbus was an even bigger success, winning the 2023 MLS Cup and taking the Crew to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final in 2024. Nancy is one of the most fearless coaches in the modern game , empowering his players to take risks with the ball and play through pressure, controlling the ball and refusing to compromise on their principles. He's a dynamic leader who earns total buy-in from his players , and the idea of a USMNT team playing under his philosophy is intriguing.
It's not clear, though, if he has any interest in the job . Other than coaching in MLS, he has no real connections to U.S.
Soccer, and he seems destined for Europe if his trajectory with Columbus continues. It's also not clear if his style of play would translate to the international level. He's a famously detail-oriented tactician, and with just a few weeks to work with players each season, he'd have little time to implement his ideas in training.
Gareth Southgate Age: 53 Teams managed: Middlesbrough (2006-2009), England U-21 (2013-2016), England (2016-2024) Current status: Free agent A former England international, Southgate spent his entire playing career in the Premier League , amassing over 500 appearances at Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough. As well as a three-year stint coaching Middlesbrough, he's most known for his time with England , taking the senior team to the finals of Euro 2021 and Euro 2024, losing in both. Notably, Southgate has a relationship with U.
S. Soccer's Matt Crocker , the pair of whom worked together at the English FA from 2013 to 2020. While drawing criticism for his pragmatic approach , Southgate turned a serially under-performing England side into a true contender in his tenure, earning consecutive trips to the European Championship final and close-fought losses in a 2022 World Cup quarterfinal (vs.
France) and 2018 World Cup semifinal (vs. Croatia). His sides are consistently sound defensively , with a transition-based approach well-suited to the USMNT player pool.
He also has a track record as a developer of young talent , giving him an added edge for a job with one of the youngest national teams in world football. Stylistically, though, his teams have come under fire for their lack of excitement . Despite some of the most intriguing attacking talent of any national team, they've never been a high-scoring side , trudging through low-scoring matches deep into tournaments.
And after just resigning from England earlier this summer , it's not clear if he'd even be interested in taking another national team job so soon. Jürgen Klopp Age: 57 Teams managed: Mainz 05 (2001-2008), Borussia Dortmund (2008-2015), Liverpool (2015-2023) Current status: Free agent Jürgen Klopp is the marquee name once linked with the job. One of the top coaches in world football, the German manager is out of a job after stepping away from Liverpool at the end of the 2023 season, citing his lack of energy and desire to take a break from the sport in his announcement.
Klopp was a popular name to throw about for the vacant USMNT job, but he's consistently distanced himself . In fact, he went so far as to say that he's done with coaching for the foreseeable future, telling the International Coaches' Congress on July 31 , "As of today, that's it for me as a coach." The German checks every box imaginable .
He's a charismatic personality , both as a leader and in his media duties. He's one of the most recognizable coaches in the game, and would draw even more interest to an already intriguing team. His teams have played high-energy, attractive and effective football , and his style would seem to be a perfect fit for America's young player pool .
Unfortunately, Klopp has made it abundantly clear that he is not interested in any coaching jobs right now and is set on taking time away from the game. It's still a fun idea to dream about, but nothing more than a dream at this point. Jim Curtin Age: 45 Teams managed: Philadelphia Union (2014-current) Current status: Under contract with Philadelphia Union (MLS) The second-longest tenured active MLS head coach , Jim Curtin has turned the Philadelphia Union into one of the more consistent teams in the league.
He's a charismatic leader who has overseen the Union's transformation into one of the most productive youth academies in North America, helping develop the likes of Brenden and Paxten Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, and Cavan Sullivan. He's also expressed interest in the job , going so far as to say that he'd leave Philadelphia even for a job as an assistant with the national team. He's tactically flexible, starting as a possession-based team before switching to a high-pressing approach.
He has experience working with young players , and with the Union not among the big spenders in MLS, he has a track record of getting results against teams with more talent. Like others on this list, though, he lacks experience at the very top levels . More concerning is his record in knockout matches , losing an MLS Cup and four U.
S. Open Cup finals. Despite a decade as a head coach, he's still one of the younger names on this list, and it may be a couple cycles too early for him at this point.
Hervé Renard Age: 55 Teams managed: SC Draguignan (1999-2001), Cambridge United (2004), Nam Dinh (2004), AS Cherbourg (2005-2007), Zambia (2008-2010, 2011-2013), Angola (2010), USM Alger (2011), Sochaux (2013-2014), Ivory Coast (2014-2015), Lille (2015), Morocco (2016-2019), Saudi Arabia (2019-2023), France women (2023-24) Current status: Free agent Hervé Renard may not be an obvious choice, but he's an intriguing one nonetheless. He's a journeyman head coach who has made a career of getting small teams to over-perform , and he's had some notable success at the international level. Under his guidance, Saudi Arabia dealt Argentina a stunning defeat at the 2022 World Cup , and he's won the Africa Cup of Nations twice (Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015).
While not a top coaching name in world football, Renard has a proven track record of taking over a national team and getting quick results. With the World Cup looming in less than two years, this is a particularly appealing trait in a USMNT coaching candidate. Renard's teams also punch above their weight , and while USMNT fans would like to think their side has evolved beyond that in recent cycles, the reality is that this is still not one of the top 10 teams in the world, and will be an underdog in most knockout round matches.
Renard isn't a high-profile choice ; he wouldn't bring the name-recognition and caché the federation seems to want with the World Cup imminent. And while his experience is extensive, it hasn't touched the truly elite levels of world football. He also has plenty of other suitors, with both Egypt and Nigeria rumored to be interested .
The United States has parted ways with head coach Gregg Berhalter, the federation announced Wednesday..
