Mauricio Pochettino, the head coach of the United States national team, has expressed his longing for the Premier League and is open to returning to England in the future.
Pochettino’s journey in the Premier League began with Southampton in January 2013, followed by a five-year tenure at Tottenham. He also managed Chelsea during the 2023-24 season. “The Premier League is the best league in the world,” he told BBC Sport. “Of course, I am missing it.”
Pochettino reflected on his time at Tottenham, where he led the team to a second-place finish in the 2016-17 season and reached the Champions League final in 2019. Despite these achievements, he was unable to secure any trophies. “I think we were so close in Tottenham,” he said. “We nearly touched it [winning the Champions League and Premier League]. That is a thing that I would want to achieve.”
The Argentine coach remains in touch with Daniel Levy, who was chairman during his time at Tottenham. Pochettino was surprised by Levy’s departure in September after a 24-year association with the club. “I was very surprised [at Levy’s departure]. His legacy is there,” Pochettino added. “It’s amazing what he did for the club.” He praised Levy for giving him the opportunity to manage Tottenham, which he considers one of the best clubs globally.
Pochettino parted ways with Chelsea by mutual consent in May 2024, less than a year after joining. Despite ending the season with five consecutive wins and securing European football by finishing sixth, both parties agreed it was time for a change. “We both decided to split,” Pochettino explained. “I think my first season was about to stop a little bit.”
In September last year, Pochettino took charge of the United States national team as they prepare to co-host next year’s World Cup. However, his tenure has been challenging, with 11 wins from 20 matches and losses against teams like South Korea, Panama, and Mexico. The transition from club management to international coaching has required adjustments due to differences in preparation and intensity.
“The intensity is completely different because you need to arrive for a few days to prepare the game and play,” Pochettino noted. After November, there will be three months until March before another game can be prepared. In national teams, coaches often feel limited as they cannot maintain continuous communication or work on improvements after matches.
Despite these challenges, Pochettino remains optimistic about progress ahead of next summer’s tournament on home soil. He believes that significant strides have been made over his first year with the team. “We are building [ideas] with people that understand football’s universal language,” he said.
Pochettino acknowledges that coaching an international side involves unique challenges but sees potential for success as they prepare for upcoming competitions.
As Pochettino continues his journey with U.S. Soccer, he remains hopeful about their prospects while cherishing memories from his Premier League days and considering future opportunities back in England’s top flight competition.