A huge swing for USMNT: Winners and losers as Mauricio Pochettino officially takes over
GOALGOAL takes a look at who will benefit from the new coach's arrival and who will be challenged
The wait was long and the process was complicated. Negotiations between the USMNT, Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea were far from clear-cut. As a result, Pochettino missed out on September friendlies but thanks to the long-awaited official announcement Tuesday night, he will be in his new role for October as a new era begins.
It's an era that begins with hope. The last one ended with a whimper, as Gregg Berhalter's time as coach ended with an early Copa America exit. As a result, there's even more urgency for the USMNT on the road to the 2026 World Cup. That urgency led to the federation taking a big swing. That urgency led them to Pochettino.
The hire is a big one, a real statement from U.S. Soccer. The federation went out and got one of the world's best coaches, who is now the face of this team during the most important moment in American soccer's history. Pochettino's hiring could change everything – at least that's the hope.
Who are the big winners in the new U.S. coaching hire and, just as important, who are the losers? GOAL takes a look.
