Mauricio Pochettino is on his way out as U.S. men's national team manager.
The Argentine is expected to leave the USMNT to take over Manchester United, departing just three months after signing a four-year contract extension following the 2026 World Cup.
The good news for U.S. Soccer is that Pochettino's departure was pretty ideally timed. Leaving now gives the federation plenty of time to bring in a successor ahead of the Nations League Finals in March — provided the USMNT gets past Haiti in the quarterfinal this month.
Here are some of the top candidates U.S. Soccer will likely be considering:
B.J. Callaghan - Nashville SC
Callaghan has emerged as one of the top candidates thanks to his work with Nashville combined with previous USMNT experience. In his first full-time head
coaching job, Callaghan has turned Nashville into a MLS powerhouse and led the club to a MLS-record haul of 77 points this season.
The 45-year-old also worked as an assistant on Gregg Berhalter's staff, then took over as interim coach in 2023. He led the USMNT to victory in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League Finals, then took the U.S. to the semifinals of the 2023 Gold Cup.
Steve Cherundolo - USMNT U-23s
Cherundolo has perhaps the ideal resume U.S. Soccer would look for in a national team coach: a long USMNT career as a player, experience and connections in Europe, a successful run as a MLS head coach and experience coaching in the U.S. Soccer setup.
The 47-year-old only took over the U.S. under-23 side this summer, with the intention of leading the team through the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Cherundolo worked closely with Pochettino during the September-October window, getting a taste of the national team setup. It would not be ideal for Olympic preparations to lose the team's head coach, but there are also more than 18 months left until the tournament starts.
Pellegrino Matarazzo - Real Sociedad
With Matarazzo and the USMNT, the question has been more about timing than whether there is mutual interest.
The New Jersey native has said that he had talks with U.S. Soccer in 2024 over the role, which ultimately went to Pochettino. He told GiveMeSport last year: "Of course, I would be open to it in the future if the project fits and the timing is right.”
Is the timing right now? That is the big question. Matarazzo only arrived at Real Sociedad in December, and already led the club to the Copa del Rey title in April. That was followed by a new contract and a strong start to the 2026-27 season. Prying Matarazzo away from the Basque club may take some doing.
Mikey Varas - San Diego FC
The luster has come off Varas slightly this season, with San Diego crashing back to earth following a first-place finish in its 2025 expansion season. But the 43-year-old still checks plenty of boxes for the USMNT.
Varas has a wealth of experience within U.S. Soccer, coaching the U.S. under-20 side for several years and also serving as a USMNT assistant coach. His San Diego team plays a proactive style and he's managed to incorporate several young American players into his MLS side. He wouldn't be the sexiest hire but Varas is worthy of consideration.
Gareth Southgate - Unattached
Southgate turned England into a perennial contender — if not winner — for major trophies during nearly a decade in charge of the Three Lions. He is an intriguing candidate due to his familiarity with the international game and track record of tournament success. He is also available, having last coached with England in 2024.
One potential hurdle is Southgate's lack of familiarity with American soccer and the player pool. The 56-year-old doesn't appear to have any connection or background with the American game, though Pochettino did manage to enjoy some success during his tenure despite a similar background.
Roberto Martinez - Unattached
Like Southgate, Martinez has become something of a specialist as an international manager. The Spaniard has spent the past 10 years in the international game, coaching Belgium and then Portugal.
But the results for Martinez have been mixed. The Spanish coach led Belgium to a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup, but since then there have been more disappointments than triumphs. Martinez could not get a hugely talented Portugal side past the round of 16 at this summer's World Cup.
Thierry Henry - Unattached
In some ways, Henry looks like an ideal candidate for the role. He is a legendary figure in the game, carrying a resume as one of the best players of his generation. He also has coaching experience at the club level with AS Monaco and CF Montréal, as well as the international level as a Belgium assistant and with France's Olympic team in 2024.
But the USMNT job would represent a major step up for Henry, who doesn't have a robust track record of coaching success and aside from a brief stint with France's Olympic side, hasn't been a head coach since leaving Montréal in 2021.
Julian Nagelsmann - Unattached
Nagelsmann is one of the more high-profile names on the market, having experience with Bayern Munich and Germany on his resume despite still being just 39 years old.
At the club level Nagelsmann has an outstanding resume in the Bundesliga and has shown himself to be a shrewd tactician. But Nagelsmann arguably underachieved with Germany, taking the team to the Euro 2024 quarterfinal and then falling to Paraguay in the 2026 World Cup round of 32.
Pep Guardiola - Unattached
Bringing in the legendary Guardiola would be like the Pochettino hire on steroids. Like the Argentine, Guardiola has made his name at the club level but has yet to coach internationally. Also like Pochettino, landing Guardiola would take a massive financial outlay, most likely requiring help again from hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin.
The difference is in scale. Guardiola has had far more success at the club level than Pochettino (or pretty much anyone) and would also require a significantly larger financial commitment. The Spaniard seems like a long-shot to actually coach the USMNT, but he does have ties to the U.S. having lived in New York during a sabbatical after leaving Barcelona in 2012. U.S. Soccer is reportedly at least shooting its shot.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who could replace Mauricio Pochettino as USMNT coach?
