USMNT
Mauricio Pochettino joins the USMNT debut-winning coaches
The Argentine coach watched his new team beat Panama, making him the fifth USMNT permanent coach not to have tasted defeat on his debut.
Mauricio Pochettino’s long-awaited debut at the helm of the Stars and Stripes arrived, and while his first minutes on the bench didn’t entirely convince the pundits and fans, he secured a comfortable enough 2-0 victory over Panama in the friendly.
With this result, the Argentine joins the ranks of the last four permanent managers – excluding interim coaches – who have made their debut with the US national team without suffering a defeat. Only two of them secured a win.
Berhalter, Arena, Klinsmann, Bradley
In the time before Pochettino, Gregg Berhalter made his debut with the USMNT in late January 2019, also with a victory over Panama, winning 3-0 in a friendly. Berhalter went on to lead the United States to two Nations League titles during his two stints, the first in 2019-2020 and the second in 2023-2024, as well as a Gold Cup in 2021. All three titles were won against their archrival: Mexico.
Before Berhalter, Bruce Arena returned to the familiar bench to lead the US national team for 18 matches in 2017. In his first match, he managed a scoreless draw against Serbia in a friendly. During this brief stint, he also led the team to victory in the 2017 Gold Cup.
Another notable coach was Jürgen Klinsmann. The German took over in August 2011, debuting against Mexico in a friendly that ended in a 1-1 draw. Klinsmann managed the USMNT until 2016, during which he won a Copa América title and led the team to the round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup.
Finally, Bob Bradley made his debut against Denmark in a friendly on January 20, 2007, where the US won 3-1. Bradley oversaw 80 matches, securing 43 wins, 12 draws, and 25 losses. He remained in charge until 2011, when he was replaced after losing the Gold Cup final that year to Mexico, 2-4. Under Bradley’s leadership, the US won the 2007 Gold Cup and finished as runners-up in the 2009 Confederations Cup.
Mexico next for Pochettino
Expectations for the new era of the USMNT have excited the American fanbase, who appear to already trust in Pochettino’s proven experience to help unlock the full potential of a golden generation for the US national team. In his second match, he faces the challenge of taking on El Tri, aiming to improve the team’s structure and collective performance.