It’s official: Mauricio Pochettino is leaving the U.S. men’s national team. 

On Friday, a day after Manchester United fired Michael Carrick, the 20-time English champions named Pochettino as his replacement, with the club currently in the Premier League relegation zone after winning just one of its first 10 matches to begin the season. 

The 54-year-old Argentine will lead the Americans for two final games, on Saturday and Tuesday vs. Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, before taking over the Red Devils in time for Sunday’s trip to rivals Liverpool. 

Pochettino signed a contract extension with U.S. Soccer in August that runs through the 2030 World Cup, following the USA’s run to the round of 16 at the 2026 event. To get him out of that deal, United triggered a buyout clause reportedly worth nearly $10 million.

Pochettino’s assistant coaches, including longtime top deputy Jesús Pérez, will follow him to Old Trafford. 

“The club has reached an agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation for Mauricio and his staff to be released after the conclusion of their responsibilities with the U.S. Men’s National Team,” Manchester United said as part of their announcement, which said he’ll formally take over the Red Devils on Nov. 18.

In 35 games at the American helm, the former Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton manager posted a record of 21W-11L-2T. Three of those victories came at the 2026 World Cup, making Pochettino the winningest USA men’s coach at soccer’s marquee tournament. U.S. Soccer now needs a new coach for the 2030 cycle. Here are the top candidates to replace him.

“Mauricio has left a lasting mark on U.S. Soccer through his leadership, professionalism and commitment to our players and culture,” U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson said in a press release. “He and his staff raised standards, strengthened our culture and created clearer connections from the youth national teams to the senior team. Those changes are now embedded in how we operate, and we will keep building on them as we pursue sustained success on the world stage.”

Pochettino inherits a club in crisis. United sit in the Premier League’s relegation zone after a dismal start to the season under Carrick. United have not been relegated since the 1973-74 season. 

Carrick, a former United midfielder, was named permanent manager this past offseason after impressing as interim boss following Ruben Amorim’s sacking in January. His permanent tenure lasted less than six months.

Pochettino’s first match in charge could be one of the toughest on the calendar. United return from the international break against Liverpool on Nov. 22.

The 54-year-old Argentine is no stranger to the Premier League. He led Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 Champions League final and later managed Chelsea for the 2023-24 season. He also won a Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain. 

Pochettino took over the national team in September 2024. His departure leaves U.S. Soccer searching for a new coach ahead of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, with matches against Haiti on Nov. 14 and 17 in the United States.

The tears welled in Mauricio Pochettino’s eyes as Manchester United’s new manager formally bid farewell to the U.S. Soccer Federation and its men’s national team on Friday.

A little more than two hours after USSF and 20-time English champions announced that Pochettino would succeed Michael Carrick with the struggling Premier League titans, Pochettino took the stage inside U.S. Soccer’s training facility outside Atlanta to explain his decision to leave just three months into a contract that was supposed to run through the 2030 World Cup — a decision he called “one of the most difficult” of his 17-year coaching career.

“It’s difficult now to talk,” Pochettino said, struggling to compose himself while flanked by U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson and president Cindy Parlow Cone. “I am a very emotional guy.”

That emotion was on full display as Pochettino thanked his bosses for their support during his 50 months in charge of the American men — a run that included three wins at the 2026 World Cup before being eliminated by Belgium in Seattle in the round of 16.

“What you’ve done with the men’s and the boys’ program in two years has been unbelievable,” Cone told the 54-year-old Argentine, who previously led Chelsea, Tottenham and Southampton in the Premier League. “Not only have you contributed to their advancement, you’ve contributed to the entire federation being better, and you have been such a great partner to all of us. So I just want to give you a heartfelt thank you. We’re gonna miss you.”

As part of the agreement with United, Pochettino will oversee two final games with the U.S. before starting his new job in Manchester on Nov. 18. The Stars and Stripes meet Haiti on Saturday in Miami in the opening leg of their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series before the decisive second match in Cincinnati on Tuesday.

Pochettino arrived in Georgia’s capital last Friday to prepare for those matches, unaware of what was to come. But after Carrick’s side settled for a 4-4 tie against Aston Villa on Sunday — a result that left them sitting 18th in the 20-team English top flight — things began to happen behind the scenes. United first made contact that afternoon, Pochettino said.

Word of their interest began to leak on Monday. By Wednesday, the club had informed the USSF that it would trigger Pochettino’s $10 million release clause. Carrick was fired on Thursday, paving the way to Pochettino to sign a reported 2 1/2 year contract to succeed Carrick at Old Trafford.

Pochettino informed his players and the national team’s support staff later Thursday that he was leaving.

“It all was so quick,” he said.

Batson said the nine-figure buyout would help pay for Pochettino’s eventual replacement. U.S. under-23 men’s coach Steve Cherundolo will oversee the Americans’ MLS-heavy December camp and its year-ending friendly against Jamaica in Ft. Lauderdale.

“Those funds are used to help us hire great coaches,” Batson said. “Our supporters, our sponsors, our donors, our fans are very supportive around making sure that we have the resources to achieve our goals, including having a world-class coach.”

Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world. The pressure of being manager at Old Trafford is immense, but if you succeed, then you can become a legend. 

So why shouldn’t Mauricio Pochettino, who led the U.S. men’s national team at the 2026 World Cup, take on that challenge? And should USMNT fans feel some type of way for him bolting? 

“This is not surprising,” Alexi Lalas said on his “State of the Union with Alexi Lalas” podcast. “Anybody that feels jilted, I think you’re being naive.” 

Pochettino is set to take over Man United, just months after signing a contract extension that meant to see him guide the USA through the 2030 World Cup. Instead, he’ll head back to the Premier League and take on the task of guiding the historic but beleaguered club out of the relegation zone. 

It’s hard for any manager not to want the job of guiding England’s most successful club, but it is fair to question whether U.S. Soccer should have even given Pochettino a new deal. 

“It just feels a little disingenuous,” said FOX Soccer analyst Stu Holden.

Man United executives, who fired Michael Carrick on Thursday, triggered the reported $10 million buyout clause in Pochettino’s USMNT contract as well as an additional $2 million for the 54-year-old Argentine’s coaching staff. 

Ever since Pochettino was hired by U.S. Soccer in October 2024, he has been linked to an eventual return to the European club circuit. He led Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 Champions League final and later managed Chelsea for the 2023-24 season. He also won a Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain. 

Back in June before the World Cup, he was mentioned as a candidate for AC Milan – who decided to hire former United manager Ruben Amorim.

“He was very upfront and honest about this, so much so that there was even recognition in the contract on both sides. This is a creation of Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Soccer Federation,” Lalas said. 

Holden had an interesting comparison about how this whole thing went down: “I feel like the side chick a little bit, in the way that we’re just kind of hand in hand with Pochettino until the next big thing comes along.” 

Of which Lalas responded: “With every side chick, everyone eventually takes them aside and asks, how did you not see this? How did you not see the signs?” 

Still, Holden added that he hopes it all works for Pochettino after guiding the USMNT to a round-of-16 appearance this summer at the World Cup. 

“Full disclosure, I really like Mauricio Pochettino, he’s a good coach, he’s got the vibes, he’s got the aura. I hope he succeeds. But I feel like you always knew this would come soon, and it has come sooner than what you or everybody thought.”

Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure as coach of the USA’s men’s soccer team is over.

Whatever happens when the U.S. takes on Haiti on Saturday and again on Tuesday in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, the 54-year-old Argentine — who led the Stars and Stripes to the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — is set to become the new manager of Manchester United after the Red Devils finally, officially parted ways with Micheal Carrick on Thursday.

Whether Poch is on the sidelines for the Americans in these next two games, which was the plan before the Carrick news dropped, doesn’t really matter.

With Nations League and Gold Cup trophies to play for next year and qualifying matches for the 2030 World Cup beginning after that, U.S. Soccer needs to hire a replacement soon. That process is probably already underway.  Here’s a not-so-short list of possibilities.

Pep Guardiola

Arguably the best coach in soccer history, Pep is every team’s dream candidate. Crucially, the 55-year-old Spaniard has been unattached since leaving Manchester City last spring after 10 trophy-laden seasons. Is he actually available? Guardiola has said that he’ll never manage another club after wildly successful runs at City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, and he might not want to jump into international management so soon; in July, he turned down four-time World Cup champions Italy. 

He’s long had an affinity for America, however, having lived in New York in 2012-13 between club jobs. A source who claims to have knowledge of Guardiola’s thinking told me that the England and the U.S. jobs are particularly enticing to him.  

“The USA is fascinating to try to build a project for many years and being able to get the national team to the next step,” Guardiola said shortly after U.S. Soccer appointed Pochettino. “The potential with the USA is there.”

Pellegrino Matarazzo

The best American coach working today, the New Jersey native, Ivy League-educated 48-year-old, was in the conversation before Pochettino was hired in 2024. Two years later he’s considered a rising star in Europe after leading Real Sociedad to the Copa del Rey title over Atlético Madrid in May. Matarazzo, who has also managed Bundesliga sides Hoffenheim and Stuttgart.

Roberto Martinez

The classy Martinez, 53, resigned as Portugal’s coach after a 1-0, stoppage-time loss to his native Spain — the eventual 2026 FIFA World Cup champions — in the round of 16. Last year, he beat La Roja in the UEFA Nations League final — just the third international title Portugal as ever won. Highly experienced at the international level, he previously led Belgium to third place at the 2018 World Cup, the highest finish in that country’s history. He also has experience working for Americans, having emerged as a star analyst during ESPN’s coverage of the 2014 World Cup.

Steve Cherundolo

Named coach of the 2028 U.S. men’s Olympic team — aka the under 23s — last summer, Cherundolo is clearly overqualified for that job. An assistant with two Bundesliga teams before taking over LAFC, he won the 2022 MLS Cup in his first full season with the club and qualified them for last year’s FIFA Club World Cup before stepping down at the end of 2025. If the Olympic gig goes well, the 47-year-old from San Diego will be the front-runner to take the top job in 2030. 

B.J. Callaghan

Fresh off winning the MLS Supporters Shield and setting a new single-season points record with Nashville SC, Callaghan’s stock could rise higher if he leads the club to the championship in December. Callaghan also won the 2025 U.S. Open Cup with Nashville, plus a Concacaf Nations League title as the USA’s interim coach in 2023, keeping clean sheets against rivals Mexico and Canada before hoisting the trophy.  If you include the World Cup group stage wins over Paraguay and Australia (under Pochettino), it was perhaps the squad’s best two-game stretch of the entire 2026 cycle.

Rudi Garcia

Another Spaniard, Garcia parted ways with Belgium after having led the Red Devils to the World Cup quarterfinals, where they lost 2-1 to La Roja — the only team to score on Spain during their eight-match march to the title. The 62-year-old badly exposed Pochettino’s shortcomings in the round of 16, changing personnel and tactics that the highly paid Argentine had no answers for on the way to the Americans worst knockout stage loss in nearly a century. 

Thierry Henry

The former World Cup-winning striker and global icon became a household name in America this summer as part of FOX Sports’ lead studio team. He’s one of soccer’s top analysts but also has been a coach, having led Les Bleus to an Olympic silver medal at the 2024 Paris Games. Before that, Henry managed perennial Champions League participants Monaco as well as a stint with Montreal in MLS. He was also an assistant under then-Belgium boss Roberto Martinez at the 2018 World Cup, a role he could reprise if Martinez succeeds Poch. Henry has deep ties to the U.S. beyond his TV work, having spent the final five seasons of his legendary playing career with the New York Red Bulls.

Hervé Renard

If international experience is high on U.S. Soccer’s list of preferred qualifications, the dapper 57-year-old Frenchman has plenty of it. He led Saudi Arabia to a historic upset of Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, the only country to beat Lionel Messi & Co. on their way to glory in Qatar. He qualified the Saudis for 2026 and coached Tunisia for 18 days at the main event. Previously, Renard led Morocco, Angola and Zambia, as well as Ligue 1 sides Sochaux and Lille. He’s currently in his second stint with the Ivory Coast.

Brian Schmetzer

Easily the longest-tenured boss in MLS, the beloved, bespectacled 63-year-old has, in his decade at the helm of the Seattle Sounders, won two MLS Cups, a Leagues Cup and a CONCACAF crown — the only American club to claim regional supremacy in the last quarter-century. That’s a record no active American coach can match. 

Bob Bradley

There’s no question the elder Bradley is qualified; since being fired as U.S. coach in 2011, just a year after topping a World Cup that included England, he’s coached Egypt’s national team, clubs in France and Norway and in the Premier League. He also won the MLS Supporter’s Shield with LAFC in 2019, but the 68-year-old hasn’t coached since leaving Norwegian club Stabæk two years ago.

Michael Bradley

The former USMNT captain and midfield legend (and son of Bob) just finished his first full season on an MLS sideline with Red Bull New York. Just 39, Bradley already has a trophy under his belt; he led the Red Bulls reserves to the MLS Next Pro title in 2025 before being promoted to the varsity, though he missed the playoffs in his maiden top flight campaign.

Jesse Marsch

Though Marsch is the only American to have coached in the Premier League, Champions League, Bundesliga and MLS, he’s under contract with Canada — who he led to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cuo — through 2030. A finalist for the U.S. job in 2023, Marsch has been highly critical of the federation’s leadership, making any return under the current administration unlikely. In any case, Marsch insists that he’ll “never” become the USA’s coach. 

We had ourselves quite an evening of UEFA Nations League football. From euphoria at the San Siro and consistent Spanish omnipotence in Prague to the coronation of an English star at Wembley.

Here are my takeaways from Thursday’s action in the Nations League:

It was an incredibly important victory for Italy. Not perfect. Not beautiful. In fact, there were many mistakes, including another awful error from Gianluigi Donnarumma and a missed penalty from one of the Esposito brothers. But none of that will matter because, in the end, under the skies of Milan and the iconic San Siro, Italy came out victorious thanks to a trait they know too well: passion and a will to get the job done.

There will of course be bigger evenings and nothing will heal the wounds of missing a third straight World Cup, but on a night where Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri wanted to make a statement against the mighty France, it ended with a smile on the faces of all Italians with a 3-1 victory thanks to grit and hunger.

It was a night of desire as opposed to substance as Italy relinquished possession but not control. Mancini’s decision to bring on the Inter stalwart Federico Dimarco for Monza’s Nicolò Cambiaghi in the 62nd minute proved to be a masterstroke as it was his assist that provided the goal for Davide Frattesi. Another penalty was added and this time, Pio Esposito made it 3-1. 

Italy now sits atop of its group with a hope of getting something over Belgium in order to secure a place in the quarterfinals. France just needs a point, so despite the loss, Zinedine Zidane knows it sits in a good place as it gets ready for Türkiye. 

But tonight was about Italian poetry and, once again, Azurri rejoiced. It’s been a long time since we have seen that happen.

It wasn’t a 7-0 thrashing, but England came out with a 2-1 win over a valiant Croatia at Wembley, but the real story was an evening for Harry Kane, who celebrated his record-breaking 126th appearance for the national team with a goal, scoring from the spot. 

Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers opened the scoring in the 24th-minute, but Jarell Quansah allowed Petar Sučić to equalize later in the second half.

But five minutes later, Harry Kane, who paraded his Ballon d’Or in front of the Wembley crowd before the match, reclaimed the lead for the third-placed team at the World Cup.

This was also an evening of absences for England as Djed Spence, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guéhi all missed out, so defensively, Thomas Tuchel had to shuffle a few things. The German manager probably wanted a clean sheet, but when you have a rotated lineup of Lewis Hall, Dan Burn, the aforementioned Quansah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, I think he’ll be reasonably happy. Hall, in particular, was very strong. 

But again, this was about Kane and an evening he will never forget. Next up? A mighty battle in Madrid against Spain.

The World Cup champions took care of business against Czechia thanks to a penalty from Alex Baena (one of my favorite players right now in Europe) and a stoppage-time second goal from Marc Pubill, both who play for Atlético de Madrid. That’s now 43 matches without a loss and 12 straight victories. A record so impressive, I am beginning to feel numb about Spanish results. I almost expect this side to win, no matter the outcome.

This wasn’t, however, a perfect painting from Luis de la Fuente’s side as a 1-0 lead stood throughout until the 96th minute. But then again, not all of them are going to be masterpieces and teams like Czechia will aim to make it sticky for a team who likes to play with the ball in an aesthetic rhythm. 

This was also a match without Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal and the perennial leader, Rodri. Pedri, the team’s architect, didn’t even come on until the 76th minute. So we can see from tonight that it was a rotated side looking to keep the train moving against a weaker opponent.

And the table? Spain leads with a perfect 15 points from five matches, five wins, 13 goals scored and five conceded. What awaits now is a delicious battle at the Metropolitano as England visits the Spanish capital on Sunday. 

The host is the favorite, clearly, but I think if England is able to minimize its mistakes, it can maybe take something from the match. But asking an opponent to be perfect against Spain is the equivalent of swimming in an ocean during a storm. At some point, no matter how hard you fight, you will find yourself fighting against an overwhelming force that won’t let you breathe.

But if there’s a team that could maybe disrupt the artistry, as we saw in the last window, it’s England. It should be a fantastic match.

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As of early Thursday morning, USA coach Mauricio Pochettino still hadn’t spoken to the American players about what now seems like his inevitable departure for Manchester United following the firing of Michael Carrick earlier in the day.

That doesn’t mean those players aren’t fully aware of what’s going on.

For as they fielded questions from media members before training at U.S. Soccer’s sprawling training center two days before opening their two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series against Haiti, Folarin Balogun and Sebastian Berhalter — key members of the squad Pochettino took to the round of 16 on home soil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — looked to be confronting the national team’s new reality in real time.

“I can’t thank him enough,” said Berhalter, whose father, Gregg, Pochettino replaced at the U.S. helm a little more than two years ago.

The younger Berhalter hadn’t played a minute of international soccer at that point. A string of stellar performances for the Vancouver Whitecaps later, Poch called him up for the 2025 Gold Cup and then played him in all five games at the World Cup, where the 25-year-old scored in the group stage finale against Türkiye. “He’s meant so much to me and helped me develop as a player and as a person.”

According to Balogun, the same can be said of the U.S. program as a whole.

“Poch has definitely raised the standard since he’s been in charge,” said the striker, who led the U.S. with three goals in four World Cup appearances, including game-winners over Paraguay and Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The intensity of training, how we approach games — he’s changed our way of thinking as players.

“He’s laid the foundation,” Balogun continued. “I think we have the ownership as players to carry that on.”

“We’re always fighting, always doing little things to make sure we’re representing this country in the right way,” Berhalter added. “He really instilled that in us. Even though he’s an Argentinian coach, he made us even more proud to be American. And I think that speaks volumes of who he is as a person and as a coach.”

While nothing is official yet, that’s part of the reason that they’ll be sorry to see him go.

“If I had a vote, I would like to keep things the way they are,” Balogun said. “Things have been working well. We have a clear sense of identity. We have a clear playing style, and I think whenever you have a top coach, you’d want them to stay. It’s a no-brainer.”

Who will replace Pochettino isn’t. While Pep Guardiola is the dream candidate, he might not be interested just six months after leaving Manchester City. There are pros and cons associated with just about anyone else. Balogun remains optimistic about the team’s direction regardless.

“I’m sure,” he said, “that the U.S. will look to replace him with another good coach.”

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Spain or England? France or Portugal? All elite squads but only one can be at the top. 

The UEFA Nations League returns to action on Thursday, and that’s a perfect time to reveal my latest power rankings of the best teams in Europe. 

Agree or disagree? Let’s break it all down as we see who makes the cut and who takes the top spot – for now. 

No. 10: Italy

FIFA Rank: 15

Next Opponents: vs. France (Nov. 12), at Belgium (Nov. 15)

Why They’re Ranked Here: We all know about the futility of the last three World Cups, but within that is a European championship in 2020. I’m really excited to see what Italy can do. This is not even close to what Italy once was, but I think they can do more damage even to a great team like France, especially playing at the San Siro.

There are still good players such as goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, midfielder Nicolò Barella, and forward Francesco Pio Esposito. I’m excited to see what 20-year-old AC Milan forward Alphadjo Cisse can do. One player isn’t going to change everything. Italy has to do something different.

No. 9: Switzerland

FIFA Rank: 12

Next Opponents: at Slovenia (Nov. 13), vs. Scotland (Nov. 16)

Why They’re Ranked Here: The Swiss have not lost any momentum since their quarterfinal appearance at the World Cup. These guys are flying right now, having won all of their four games in Nations League play. They are in a spot to get promoted to League A for the next edition, where they will be back among Europe’s top teams.

No. 8: Belgium

FIFA Rank: 8

Next Opponents: at Türkiye (Nov. 12), vs. Italy (Nov. 15)

Why They’re Ranked Here: We all remember Belgium, don’t we? From this past summer when they knocked the USA out from the World Cup in front of that big crowd in Seattle? Yeah, still a good, quality team. The golden generation is dwindling down – midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is in this squad, but veteran striker Romelu Lukaku had to leave due to an injury. However, winger Jérémy Doku will continue to be a star for years to come.

No. 7: Netherlands

FIFA Rank: 9

Next Opponents: vs. Greece (Nov. 13), at Germany (Nov. 16)

Why They’re Ranked Here: They’ve been up and down, but I think they’re up right now. The Dutch won’t have longtime captain Virgil van Dijk in the backline for these games due to injury, but with talented goalscorers like Cody Gakpo you can never count out the Dutch. Two key games ahead for manager Xavi Hernández‘s squad – don’t sleep on my Greeks and you know Germany will be tough. 

No. 6: Norway

FIFA Rank: 19

Next Opponents: vs. Wales (Nov. 14), at Denmark (Nov. 17)

Why They’re Ranked Here: It hasn’t been a great Nations League for Norway. They are last in their group – which would relegate them to League B for the touranment’s next edition – so they’re hanging on by a thread. But Norway has two winnable games and this team has superstar striker Erling Haaland. Like I have said, he is always worth the price of admission. He has 65 goals in 59 international matches, which is an astronomical number.  

No. 5: Germany

FIFA Rank: 13

Next Opponents: at Serbia (Nov. 13), vs. Netherlands (Nov. 16)

Why They’re Ranked Here: Jürgen Klopp is still finding his footing as Germany’s manager, and it will be a big task to get this team back where it traditionally belongs. Yes, there is talent in the attack – Kai Havertz remains key for Arsenal and Florian Wirtz seems to be improving at Liverpool in his second season –and Joshua Kimmich remains a versatile defensive anchor. But it’s an aging squad with players like 33-year-old striker Niclas Füllkrug still playing essential roles.

No. 4: Portugal

FIFA Rank: 5

Next Opponents: vs. Denmark (Nov. 14), at Wales (Nov. 17)

Why They’re Ranked Here: I could probably even put them higher, let’s see how the team really responds after the international retirement of Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Maybe without the burden (if it was a burden) of Ronaldo, this will be a new-look type of Portugal. There is young talent – 21-year-old striker Gustavo Varela and 19-year-old attacker Rodrigo Mora – to go alongside a stellar core that includes midfielders Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha. Fullback Nuno Mendes isn’t in this squad due to an injury, but with those players and more, I think we’ll see an even better version of this team.

No. 3: England

FIFA Rank: 4

Next Opponents: vs. Croatia (Nov. 12), at Spain (Nov. 15)

Why They’re Ranked Here: We’ll see if winning the Ballon d’Or will be a burden for Harry Kane, but I don’t think so. Kane adapts to anything on and off the field. He’s already England’s all-time leading scorer and when he steps onto the field against Croatia or Spain, he’ll become the leader in appearances for the Three Lions. 

Add the likes of midfielders Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham and this team still has the chance to win some silverware in the next few years.

No. 2: France

FIFA Rank: 3

Next Opponents: at Italy (Nov. 12), vs. Türkiye (Nov. 15)

Why They’re Ranked Here: Even with injuries to Kylian Mbappé (who’ll miss the Italy clash with a hamstring injury) and other top players like 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and key midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, this is a deep squad. Zinedine Zidane’s side can still count on stars like the dynamic Michael Olise. 

I think the game against Italy will be much closer than what people may expect. And anytime Italy and France meet, especially with Zidane involved, it evokes memories of that 2006 World Cup final.

No. 1: Spain

FIFA Rank: 1

Next Opponents: at Czechia (Nov. 12), vs. England (Nov. 15)

Why They’re Ranked Here: Of course, the reigning World Cup champions should be here.  Lamine Yamal will be sitting out the Czechia game with an injury, but even without him, we should see Spain win that game. Hopefully, he’ll return for the matchup against England, which is the game of this window. 

Spain is on a roll, having not lost in 43 games in a stretch that included winning the 2026 World Cup final (their loss on penalties to Portugal in the previous Nations League final is counted as a draw). This squad still has one of the best young center-backs in Pau Cubarsí. And don’t forget Marc Cucurella, whose end-to-end skills (and long-flowing hair) makes him one of the best fullbacks in the world. 

Spain – along with teams like Portugal and England – is simply the cream of the crop. 

Mauricio Pochettino appears to be on his way out as U.S. men’s national team head coach.

Manchester United are expected to part ways with Michael Carrick, and Pochettino has emerged as the club’s chosen candidate to replace him.

Pochettino signed a contract extension with U.S. Soccer in August that runs through the 2030 World Cup, following the USA’s run to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. But to get him out of that deal, United would only need to trigger a buyout clause reportedly worth nearly $10 million.

Bringing along the assistant coaches who have followed Pochettino from job to job for more than a decade would cost millions more.

If he leaves, U.S. Soccer will need a new coach for the 2030 cycle. Here are the latest updates on Pochettino’s future and the top candidates to replace him.

Wednesday, Nov. 11

Whatever happens with Manchester United, Pochettino is expected to remain on the U.S. sideline for at least two more matches.

Pochettino is in camp with the team at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia, preparing for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti on Saturday in Miami and Tuesday in Cincinnati. He’s expected to speak to the media Friday, per his usual pre-match routine.

United have not yet officially fired Carrick or made formal contact with U.S. Soccer about Pochettino’s contract. The club has the rest of the international break to finalize a replacement before returning to action at Liverpool on Nov. 22.

U.S. Soccer is expected to make Pep Guardiola a top target to replace Pochettino if he leaves, according to The Athletic. 

The former Manchester City manager has had past conversations with the federation and has long been intrigued by the idea of working in the United States. 

United have not yet officially fired Carrick or made formal contact with U.S. Soccer about Pochettino. 

He’s expected to coach the USA in its Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti on Saturday in Miami and Tuesday in Cincinnati.

If U.S. Soccer goes with an American, no one has a stronger case right now than B.J. Callaghan.

He led Nashville SC to a league-record point total in the MLS regular season and already has experience in charge of the U.S. men’s national team, guiding the team to the 2023 Concacaf Nations League title as interim coach.

The Nashville SC coach is coming off one of the greatest regular seasons in MLS history. Nashville went 23-3-8 in 2026 and finished with 77 points, breaking Inter Miami’s single-season record of 74 set in 2024. 

Along the way, Callaghan’s team won the club’s first Supporters’ Shield, finished a record 13 points clear of the next-best team and set MLS records for wins, fewest losses (3) and fewest goals allowed (25). Nashville also reached the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals this year and became the first MLS team to win at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, beating Club América 1-0 in the quarterfinals.

The turnaround has been remarkable. When Callaghan took over in July 2024, Nashville was in the middle of the worst season in its MLS history. Two years later, it’s one of the most dominant teams in the league.

If U.S. Soccer wants a candidate with deep roots in the program, few fit better than Michael Bradley. 

The former U.S. men’s national team captain earned 151 caps for his country, many of them under his father, Bob Bradley, who coached the national team from 2006 to 2011. Michael’s coaching career is still young. 

He led Red Bull New York’s reserve team to the 2025 MLS Next Pro title in his first season as a head coach, then took over the first team ahead of the 2026 season. 

His résumé is thin compared to the other names on this list, but his knowledge of the American player pool and his reputation as a leader make him an intriguing long-term option.

If U.S. Soccer wants a coach who already knows the program’s next generation, Cherundolo is already working with it.

The federation hired Cherundolo in July to lead the U.S. under-23 team through the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, a role designed to work closely with the senior and youth national team staffs. 

He’s currently overseeing the team’s first camp of the Olympic cycle in Spain, where the U-23s are facing Scotland and Ukraine. That makes him a natural successor to Pochettino, and he’d already have relationships with many of the young players expected to push for spots in 2030.

His coaching résumé also stands up. In four seasons at LAFC from 2022 to 2025, Cherundolo went 106-55-32 and never finished worse than third in the Western Conference. He won the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield in his first season and added the U.S. Open Cup in 2024.

Few coaches have done more with less in MLS than Nancy, and that track record could make him a strong fit for international soccer.

The 49-year-old Frenchman built his reputation at CF Montréal, where he won the 2021 Canadian Championship and led the club to the second-best record in MLS in 2022. That earned him a move to the Columbus Crew, where he became one of the league’s most respected coaches. Nancy led Columbus to the 2023 MLS Cup in his first season, then won the 2024 Leagues Cup and was named MLS Coach of the Year.

The big question mark is his short stint at Celtic. 

Nancy left Columbus to take over the Scottish club in December 2025, but he was fired after just 33 days, having won only two of his eight matches. His MLS résumé is still among the best of any coach on this list, and his familiarity with North American soccer could be an asset.

Martinez has experience managing teams on the international stage. 

He coached Belgium from 2016 to 2022, guiding its golden generation to a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup, then took over Portugal in 2023. 

He stepped down after Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the round of 16 at this summer’s World Cup, saying he came to win the tournament and saw no point in continuing after falling short. Before his international career, Martinez won the 2013 FA Cup with Wigan Athletic and managed Everton. 

Now available, the 53-year-old Spaniard would bring proven international experience to a program looking to make a deep run in 2030.