Mauricio Pochettino finally announced as USMNT boss as USMNT draw 1-1 with New Zealand

Happy Wednesday! The USMNT finally announced Mauricio Pochettino's hire on Tuesday night, injecting newfound positivity after a grueling summer that delivered one more disappointing result in Cincinnati. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a USMNT-focused check-in as the international break comes to a close.

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⚽ The Forward Line

✅ Mauricio Pochettino finally takes the USMNT job

At long last, U.S. Soccer announced the hire of Mauricio Pochettino as the new coach of the U.S. men's national team on Tuesday, closing out a financial saga with his previous employers at Chelsea and officially marking the start of an ambitious chapter in the program's history.

U.S. Soccer landed one of the sport's top coaches in Pochettino, who boasts years of experience in Spain, the Premier League and Ligue 1 and offers a fresh perspective as the USMNT prepares for the 2026 World Cup on home soil. The seismic impact of a statement-making showing in two years' time was something Pochettino pointed to in his first official remarks as the new head coach, which came in a statement announcing his hire.

• Pochettino: "The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasn't just about football for me -- it's about the journey that this team and this country are on. The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here -- those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the U.S. men's national team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldn't pass up. I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we're going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of."

Pochettino joins a small list of USMNT head coaches who lack experience with the American soccer landscape, though that will be considered a strength in his case after a decade-plus of coaching in the sport's top leagues. The overwhelming feeling after the USMNT's group stage exit from this summer's Copa America was that the team had become stale under the leadership of Pochettino's predecessor Gregg Berhalter, who successfully led the team to a promising round of 16 finish at the 2022 World Cup but failed to refresh the vision and aspiration when he was re-hired in June 2023. It is a viewpoint shared by fans and players alike, with USMNT captain Christian Pulisic praising Pochettino's hire in his post-match remarks following the team's 1-1 draw with New Zealand on Tuesday.

• Pulisic: "I hope he can bring a new winning mentality, a culture within the team that's really going to make a switch and flip a switch for a lot of the guys to take a step up. … [The team needs a] culture that is willing to fight, that is willing to take risks, you know, [to] win. There's a lot of things that need to change, just the mentality and the culture of the group. I think we have the quality, but hopefully that's the first thing he's going to want to change."

The new head coach wasn't at Cincinnati's TQL Stadium to observe the team in person on Tuesday, but instead will spend the next few weeks gearing up for his first games -- friendlies against Panama on Oct. 12 in Austin, Texas and against Mexico on Oct. 15 in Guadalajara. And speaking of the challenges that await him…

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🔗  Midfield Link Play

🇺🇸 Mauricio Pochettino's big project ahead

The U.S. men's national team entered Tuesday's friendly against New Zealand with positive vibes after Maurico Pochettino's hire was announced a half-hour before kickoff, but the mood worsened by the end of the night as an uninspiring showing resulted in a 1-1 draw. The USMNT now end the summer with just one win in their last seven Games, offering Pochettino an early glance at the things that need fixing to ensure the team puts their best foot forward at the 2026 World Cup.

Between the Copa America showing and the winless run in September, the USMNT have gotten little right and questions have rightly been raised about their tactical set-up, player selection and mentality, all things Pochettino will need to address over the next two years. The first two will be of particular focus in the early days of his tenure as he adapts his high-press, attack-minded style of play to the international level in his first job as a national team coach, while squad composition goes hand-in-hand with that effort.

The process of exploring the wider player pool is already underway. For this month's friendlies, interim head coach Mikey Varas worked with seven players who were not part of the Copa America, some of whom were a bright spot during an unispring international break. Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte was a standout in Saturday's 2-1 loss to Canada, while outside backs Marlon Fossey and Kristoffer Lund performed well against New Zealand, as did midfielder Aidan Morris. As Chuck Booth writes, all of those players could offer help in positions of need for the USMNT, especially as the defensive structure remains unresolved.

• Booth: "Chris Richards has emerged as the top center back on the roster while Antonee Robinson has become the top left back but every remaining position is up for grabs. Sergino Dest was close to making the right back spot his own and still could, but after suffering an ACL injury, he'll have to get back to top form before the USMNT can count on him. Tyler Adams is an example of how sometimes players aren't the same after serious injuries so it's important for them to get ample time to get back to being at their best. Joe Scally was the starting right back during Copa America but he hasn't done enough to become an unquestioned starter in the role."

Pochettino's vision for the USMNT is expected to be very different than those of his predecessors but how quickly he will shake things up will be worth watching as he gears up for his first games in charge next month.It is unclear whether or not Pochettino will be in Cincinnati to see or meet with his new team on Tuesday before taking charge of his first game next month, when the USMNT take on Panama at Austin's Q2 Stadium. The hire will deliver a dose of positive energy during a summer to forget for the national team, but the last several months offer a stark reminder that Pochettino will inherit a deeply imperfect team once he finally takes over. As important as a top-tier manager will be for their chances to impress at the World Cup in two years' time, the players will have to deliver in equal measure to make it happen -- and they will need to show they are up for the task sooner rather than later if they are to live up to the hype.

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💰  The Back Line

💵 Best bets

• 2026 World Cup: champion
  💰 THE PICK: England to win the 2026 World Cup (+650) -- While France, Spain and Brazil remain the oddsmakers' favorites at +550, this international break proved that England is not a team to sleep on. Two steady wins over Ireland and Finland this month served as a reminder that they have one of the best squads in the international game, as well as the fact that the search to find Gareth Southgate's successor will also focus on hiring a manager who can help England win their second World Cup.

For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.   

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