At the helm of the USMNT, Mauricio Pochettino has successfully built a promising project with youth talent. However, he has reportedly decided to leave the national team after the 2026 World Cup. In light of this, the Argentine manager has received interest from AC Milan for next season. Mauricio Pochettino arrived in September 2024 to lead the sporting project of the United States men’s national soccer team. With the 2026 World Cup only weeks away, the national team is full of young talent, delivering a successful generational transition. However, he has reportedly decided to leave the project after the anticipated tournament. Following this, the Argentine manager appears to have received approaches from AC Milan.
According to Nicolò Schira via X, formerly Twitter, Mauricio Pochettino has decided to leave the USMNT. With his contract expiring in July 2026, he appears determined to return to Europe, seeking a day-to-day project similar to those he had at Tottenham Hotspur, PSG, or Chelsea. As a result, the United States Soccer Federation would have to search again for a manager capable of maximizing the young talent.
Even though his spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea were not particularly brilliant, Mauricio Pochettino still maintains considerable interest in Europe. As per James Horncastle via The Athletic, AC Milan met with Mauricio in Georgia to explore the head coach vacancy left by Massimiliano Allegri. However, neither side has reached a definitive agreement yet, as the Argentine manager is reportedly focused on the World Cup.
With the sporting director still yet to be decided, the Rossoneri may not reach an agreement with Mauricio Pochettino just yet, as the new head coach would also need to be approved by this executive. However, Zlatan Ibrahimović appears to be seeking exploratory talks and/or pre-agreements with several candidates, creating a pool of options to choose from once the full staff is finalized. Therefore, the Argentine still does not have full consensus to join the team.
Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of United States.
Pochettino supposedly competes with Matthias Jaissle at AC Milan
After failing to qualify for the 2026–27 UEFA Champions League, AC Milan decided to dismiss Igli Tare as sporting director. Following this, Ibrahimović appears to be the one chosen to decide the new sporting director. With Ralf Rangnick as the leading candidate, he would seek decision-making power over the new head coach. With this in mind, Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly facing Matthias Jaissle for the head coach spot.
Luca Bianchin reports via La Gazzetta dello Sport that Ralf Rangnick maintains the arrival of Matthias Jaissle as the absolute priority. With a contract until 2027 with Al-Ahli, they would have to negotiate an agreement to release him and be able to sign him. As a two-time AFC Champions League Elite winner, his departure would not be simple. Therefore, Pochettino remains a candidate, as he has the backing of Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada.