U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino is gearing up for his first World Cup leading the United States, with their official 26-man roster revealed on May 26 for this summer’s 48-team tournament.
But if Pochettino decides to leave the job after the World Cup, who could fill his shoes? Would U.S. Soccer try and hire another coach with extensive European experience?
There is one candidate that will be continuously brought up among fans and commentators alike.
Could Pep Guardiola replace Mauricio Pochettino as the next U.S. head coach?
Pep Guardiola is expected to leave Manchester City to step down from the Premier League squad after 10 years in charge. His next coaching destination, however, is still unknown.
FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas weighed in on how the USA could be a landing spot for Guardiola.
“If Pep Guardiola is available, you would be dumb not to take a call and sit down and see how he thinks about these things. Mauricio Pochettino, I think he’s going to move on, and he’s going to have some wonderful opportunities,” Lalas said on Monday’s edition of “Alexi Lala’s State of the Union.”
Pochettino has led the Stars and Stripes since 2024 and enters his first World Cup as head coach. However, the Argentine has expressed his interest in returning to coach in Europe – having previously led Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. If Pochettino does leave, Lalas tabs Guardiola as a solid option – but notes that the United States may not meet Guardiola’s talent level.
Guardiola’s coaching résumé is one of the best in the business. The Spaniard took over at Barcelona in 2008, leading Lionel Messi and Co. to three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies. He then headed to Bayern Munich and won the Bundesliga three times. In his 10-year stint with Manchester City, he clinched the Premier League six times in seven years, the League Cup four times, two FA Cups and a 2023 Champions League win.
“For all of his success and his intelligence when it comes to the game, he still has to apply it to a very different scenario, both in terms of being international, but also in terms of being a lesser team relative to the elites. Pep has established his greatness, making great teams that much greater. And the U.S. is not a great team that he is falling into,” Lalas said.
But what makes Guardiola a prime target for the United States’ next coach?
Guardiola took a one-year coaching break and moved to New York following his four-year stint with Barcelona. He learned English, spent time with family and even caught a few MLS games. Especially with his reported interest in one day coaching a national team, Lalas tabs the USA as a potential landing spot for Guardiola.
“You absolutely make that call,you might even get that call. We know Pep famously took a sabbatical. Where did he go? He went to the United States. It might appeal to him,” Lalas said.