Former Premier League manager Mauricio Pochettino will reportedly be based in Europe should he take the U.S. men’s national team job, a role he is now favored to take ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
Pochettino is expected to remain in Europe, per ESPN, and will not be required to live in the U.S. on a full-time basis. It marks a departure for most head coaches of the U.S. national teams, though U.S. Soccer has also historically hired candidates who have been based in the country for some time. Gregg Berhalter, who was the coach until he was fired in July, was based in Chicago, where U.S. Soccer is currently headquartered. New women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes, meanwhile, will move from her native London to Atlanta to work at the federation’s new offices after winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
At one point, U.S. Soccer required coaches to live and work out of the federation’s offices in Chicago, a policy instilled by former sporting director Earnie Stewart. It is unknown if his successor, Matt Crocker, has continued that policy since taking over the role in April of last year.
The Argentine has lived in Europe since moving to Spain’s Espanyol as a player in 1994, finishing up…
