2026 World Cup: Who is USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino?
Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine manager behind the U.S. men's national team's red-hot World Cup start, is gaining widespread attention for everything from his celebrity doppelganger to his embracing of American culture and the inspiring way he's leading the U.S. team.
Pochettino and the USMNT will face off Monday night against Belgium in a high-stakes round of 16 matchup. Last week, against Bosnia-Herzegovina, the team won their first World Cup knockout game win since 2002, according to ESPN.
Pochettino was hired by U.S. Soccer in August 2024, two years before he would be asked to lead the men's team through the 2026 World Cup, and play host to the globe as the United States -- along with Canada and Mexico -- hosts the tournament.
Read on for everything to know about U.S. men's national coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Where is Mauricio Pochettino from?
Pochettino was born in Murphy, Argentina, to parents Hector and Amalia, who were farmers, according to his biography on the U.S. Soccer website.
After developing as a young soccer player in Argentina, Pochettino moved to Spain to continue his career in the 1990s.
Pochettino is married to Karina Pochettino and has two sons, Sebastian and Maurizio.
Sebastiano Pochettino, who has worked under his dad since 2016, is a sports scientist for the men's national team.
Maurizio Pochettino is a professional soccer player for an Andorran team.
What is Mauricio Pochettino's soccer history?
After beginning his career in Argentina, playing for Newell's Old Boys, Pochettino moved to Spain where he played for Espanyol, based in Barcelona.
After several seasons in Spain, Pochettino played for Paris Saint-Germain, now one of Europe's top clubs.
Later in his career, Pochettino played for Bordeaux and Espanyol again.
Pochettino also played for the Argentinian national team, and competed for his country in the 2002 World Cup.
After his time as a player, Pochettino embarked on a coaching career starting in 2009 with his former team Espanyol, before moving to England's Premier League to coach Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur. He also coached Paris Saint-Germain before moving back to the Premier League to coach Chelsea.
How has Mauricio Pochettino inspired the USMNT and their fans?
Pochettino has been talked about at length for his team's success on the pitch, but he's also gained plenty of attention for his energy and comments about coaching the U.S. team.
Pochettino's appearance has gained attention for his now-iconic button-up shirt and his striking resemblance to actor Russell Crowe.
The USMNT took the Crowe comparisons to the next level posting a video where Pochettino is asked to post a photo of himself to a photo wall. Pochettino quickly realizes the photo is actually of Crowe, before quipping "I'm more handsome," in Spanish.
Pochettino has also gained attention for his embrace of the song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver.
After the U.S. defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 on July 1, Pochettino was seen singing the song in celebration.
"When that song starts to, you know, the sound in the stadium, it's impossible not to sing," he said after the game.
Pochettino has also attempted to inspire the players in the locker room by asking the team "Why not us?" when it comes to making a run in this World Cup, according to The Athletic.
"He's an incredible guy," USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams recently said on the Pat McAfee show. "He's kind of changed the culture of everything that we have here in U.S. soccer."
Adams continued, "He was born and raised in Argentina, a country where, you know, it's a religion to play the game of soccer. And growing up in that, and having him kind of share and express his experience with us, I mean he's coached some of the best teams in the world, and that's definitely influenced us."
