Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world. The pressure to be a manager at Old Trafford is immense, but if you succeed then you can become a legend.
So why wouldn’t Mauricio Pochettino, who led the US men’s national team to the 2026 World Cup, take up the challenge? And should USMNT fans feel some sort of way for him to choke?
“That’s not surprising,” Alexi Lalas said on his State of the Union with Alexi Lalas podcast. “Anyone who feels upset, I think you’re naive.”
Pochettino will take over at Man United, just months after signing a contract extension that would see him lead the USA to the 2030 World Cup. Instead, he will return to the Premier League and take on the task of managing the storied but relegation-beleaguered club.
It’s hard for any manager not to want the job of leading England’s most successful club, but it’s fair to question whether US Soccer should have given Pochettino a new deal.
“It just feels a little disingenuous,” FOX Soccer analyst Stu Holden said.
Mauricio Pochettino is taking over at Manchester United (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Man United chiefs, who sacked Michael Carrick on Thursday, triggered the reported $10 million buyout clause in Pochettino’s USMNT contract, as well as a $2 million bonus for the 54-year-old Argentine’s coaching staff.
Since Pochettino was hired by US Soccer in October 2024, he has been linked with an eventual return to the European club circuit. He led Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 Champions League final and later managed Chelsea for the 2023-24 season. He also won a Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain.
In June before the World Cup, he was mentioned as a candidate for AC Milan – who decided to hire former United boss Ruben Amorim.
“He was very open and honest about it, so much so that there was recognition in the contract from both sides. This is a creation of Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Soccer Federation,” Lalas said.
Holden had an interesting comparison about how it all went: “I feel a bit like the wing bird, in the way we’re hand in hand with Pochettino until the next big thing comes along.”
To which Lalas replied, “With every side chick, everybody eventually takes them aside and asks, how did you not see that? How did you not see the signs?”
However, Holden added that he hopes everything works out for Pochettino after leading the USMNT to a round of 16 appearance this summer at the World Cup.
“Full disclosure, I really like Mauricio Pochettino, he’s a good manager, he’s got vibe, he’s got vibe. I hope he succeeds. But I feel you always knew it was coming soon, and it’s come sooner than you or everyone thought.”
