Mauricio Pochettino To AC Milan After World Cup? U.S. Soccer CEO Addresses Reports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — On Wednesday, reports overseas began to emerge that U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino was interviewed by seven-time European champion AC Milan last week about their vacant managerial position. On Thursday, U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson addressed the news, as Pochettino led the Americans through their paces behind him at the federation’s National Training Center outside of Atlanta. “Mauricio and [his assistant coaches have] been incredibly transparent the entire process,” Batson told a throng of reporters here. “Even when we first met a couple summers ago, there were lots of other people interested in having Mauricio and [his] team join. He had standing offers from other places to come. He wanted to be here. He’s a big believer in what we’re doing in U.S. Soccer. He’s a big believer in soccer in America, and he’s a big believer in this men’s team. “When you have top-class talent,” he added, “Other organizations want them.” AC Milan, for whom American headliner Christian Pulisic has starred since leaving English club Chelsea for in 2023, is without a manager after Maxi Allegri resigned earlier this week following the Rossoneri’s failure to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League. Pochettino’s contract with U.S. Soccer expires after the World Cup. The Stars and Stripes open the tournament against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles. Pochettino has coached prominent European clubs such as Chelseas, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur. He has said that he’s open to signing an extension to remain at the helm of the USA’s men’s program, which he took over in late 2024. Batson insisted Thursday that that remains a possibility. “We’ve had a number of very long discussions around what the next four years could look like,” he said. “We’re excited and they’re excited. But, of course, we’ve got to focus on the summer, which we’re doing. The World Cup co-hosts take on Australia and Türkiye in their final two first round games. Pochettino’s reported $6 million salary is underwritten in part by deep-pocketed U.S. Soccer donors. I asked Batson if that funding will be available over the next four-year World Cup cycle, or if it was contingent on the U.S. staging the planet’s marquee event this summer, along with North American neighbors Canada and Mexico. “We now are able to enter in big decisions where we’re able to focus on what’s right for soccer, knowing that we’re going to have the resources to be able to do that,” he said. “Whether it’s our great commercial partners, whether it’s because fans have been buying a lot of tickets and a lot of jerseys, or because we’ve been able to get great philanthropic support. “As we approach all these decisions, first and foremost will be what’s going to drive the best soccer outcomes,” he continued. “We’re confident we’ll have the resources to be able to do that.”