Five Candidates to Replace Mauricio Pochettino As USMNT Manager After 2026 World Cup

The U.S. men’s national team is entirely focused on preparing for the 2026 World Cup, with Mauricio Pochettino at the helm. Yet, with the Argentine manager’s deal running until the end of the tournament, the future has almost arrived.

At some point in the next several months, it appears more likely that Pochettino leaves his post with the USMNT and returns to club soccer, something he has admitted to “missing,” at least at the Premier League level, while leading the USMNT program.

While World Cup performance and the potential growth of the national team’s following could impact plans, the outlook no doubt has to be on forging a path ahead without Pochettino at the helm.

Any plans also took a significant turn recently, when Matt Crocker left his role as U.S. Soccer technical director, leaving the federation without the person who landed both Pochettino and the highly regarded women’s coach, Emma Hayes, for the USMNT and USWNT, respectively.

Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look at five potential coaches that could step into the USMNT role should Pochettino step down post-World Cup.

Didier Deschamps

Didier Deschamps is one of the more ambitious options the USMNT could go for if staying with a veteran is what the federation desires. The current manager of the No. 1-ranked France men’s national team, he is set to leave his position with Les Bleus following the World Cup, which could very well end with him lifting the trophy in New Jersey.

The 57-year-old has led France since 2012, after stepping away from a club career that saw him lead Monaco, Juventus and Marseille. With the French program, he has led the team to the 2018 World Cup title, the 2022 World Cup final, the Euro 2016 final and a UEFA Nations League title.

Although he would not be dealing with a similar level of talent to France's with a USMNT player pool, and would likely be required to live stateside as previous USMNT bosses have had to, the option for a new, North American-based challenge could be an intriguing factor for him.

Pep Guardiola

If U.S. Soccer swings for the fences, Pep Guardiola is the target. The current Manchester City manager has a contract through 2027 with the Premier League side, but there is a possibility of either bringing him in for 2027 and the lead-up to the 2030 World Cup or finding a way out of the final year of his deal.

Guardiola has lived in New York before, between coaching Barcelona and Bayern Munich, making a potential move to the U.S. a likely non-issue for the 55-year-old. While his typical play style of quick passing and movement may not perfectly suit the current USMNT pool, the younger players could fit into the plan, aiming to develop over a three-to four-year period before taking a shot at the World Cup title in 2030.

Pellegrino Matarazzo

The current manager of Real Sociedad, New Jersey native Pellegrino Matarazzo has already made history as the first American manager in La Liga and the first to capture a trophy, leading his club to the 2026 Copa del Rey title at the expense of Atlético Madrid.

While he has previously shot down the idea of coaching the USMNT and has emphasized he is pleased with the current situation, there may be a chance for U.S. Soccer to lure him after this season and the World Cup.

The 48-year-old would be one of the younger options among potential suitors, but would bring experience from Germany and Spanish club levels, where several U.S. players, including Johnny Cardoso, Malik Tillman and Gio Reyna, have spent their recent years.

Steve Cherundolo

If U.S. Soccer wants someone with ample domestic coaching experience, then Steve Cherundolo is likely at the top of the list. Most recently, with LAFC, Cherundolo led the club to the 2022 MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield, and followed it up with a 2024 U.S. Open Cup, while ensuring the team remained among the contenders every year of his tenure.

Currently out of soccer, the 47-year-old chose to step down from his role with the Black and Gold at the end of the 2025 season to return to Europe with his family. Yet, there could still be a possibility of luring him back stateside, considering the stage of his career and his long history with the domestic game.

In addition to his coaching experience, Cherundolo boasts 87 USMNT caps as a player, suiting up for the Stars and Stripes at the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, giving him the edge of knowing what it’s like to represent the country on the international stage.

Jesse Marsch

The current Canada manager, Jesse Marsch admitted he believed he had landed the USMNT job in 2023 after departing Leeds United. Based on his information from a lengthy process with U.S. Soccer, he opted to turn down a role with Leicester City before the U.S. eventually re-appointed Gregg Berhalter to the top coaching role in the country.

Since taking on the Canadian role in May 2024, Marsch has brought the team up to the top 30 in the world for the first time, while expanding the player pool ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will see Canada play between three and five matches on home soil.

He would be an enticing option for the USMNT given his experience as one of the few U.S. managers to coach abroad and the second to do so in the Premier League, as well as what he has shown in developing a strong program with a similar player pool in Canada. At the same time, he has also been to the World Cup with the USMNT, serving on the coaching staff in 2010—one of his first coaching roles, following a 14-year MLS career as a player.

Yet, despite making it clear that he has no interest in the U.S. role at the moment, and that he has embraced Canada and sees a potential path forward after the World Cup, there remains a possibility the USMNT could lure him with a lucrative offer—and some flexibility of residency, considering Marsch makes his home in Pisa, Italy.

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