Pochettino heads to America after spells with Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. Along the way his name has been mentioned in connection with Manchester United, Real Madrid and England. That is the level at which he is often pitched, which is why convincing him to succeed Gregg Berhalter can be viewed as a major coup for the U.S.

A deep USMNT run at the 2026 World Cup could be a caffeine-like boost for soccer in America. Fall flat, and it could be stuck a niche sport for good