Mauricio Pochettino sends heartfelt message after Man United move confirmed - The Independent
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Mauricio Pochettino has offered his heartfelt thanks to US Soccer of the opportunity to coach the national team ahead of his move to Manchester United.
The Argentine was confirmed as the new head coach at Old Trafford on Friday afternoon following the sacking of Michael Carrick the previous day.
US Soccer also announced his departure from his role as head coach of the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and revealed that his last two games in charge with be the back-to-back fixtures against Haiti on November 14 and 18.
Pochettino thanked US Soccer for providing him with the chance to take the USA team forward and he revealed that the team will ‘always have a special place’ in his heart.
"The opportunity to represent the USA crest was one of the greatest honours of my career. We are so grateful to the players for their commitment, to the fans for their belief, and to the Federation for always supporting our staff and creating the opportunities to impact the culture of soccer in this great country,” Pochettino said in a statement confirming his departure from the role.
“We want to thank Cindy Parlow Cone, JT Batson and Dan Helfrich for their partnership and incredible working relationships throughout our time here.
“There is tremendous talent in the US player pool from the youth teams through to the senior team, and it’s one of the reasons we have so much belief for the future of US Soccer. You will always have a special place in our hearts, and we will be supporting the teams whenever they step on the field."
US Soccer’s CEO and Secretary General JT Batson also praised Pochettino’s work and leadership saying he will lave a ‘lasting mark’ on the team.
“Mauricio has left a lasting mark on US Soccer through his leadership, professionalism and commitment to our players and culture,” said Batson. “What we are most proud of goes beyond the wins.
”He and his staff raised standards, strengthened our culture and created clearer connections from the Youth National Teams to the senior team. Those changes are now embedded in how we operate, and we will keep building on them as we pursue sustained success on the world stage.”
Pochettino took charge of the USMNT in September 2024 and oversaw a record of 21 wins, 12 losses and two draws across 35 matches. In his tenure, the United States reached the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Final and advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup last summer. With three victories during the tournament, Pochettino recorded the most World Cup wins of any head coach in USMNT history.
He will fly to Manchester next week and take up his role as head coach of Man United ahead of the Premier League clash with Liverpool at Anfield on November 22.
