US football chiefs have admitted that a glowing reference from Emma Hayes helped persuade them to break the bank and hire Mauricio Pochettino as men’s national team manager.
Pochettino will lead the Americans into a home World Cup in 2026 after agreeing to a contract worth $6m (£4.6m) a year – almost four times predecessor Gregg Berhalter’s salary.
Hayes has been an instant hit since leaving Chelsea to coach the US women’s team this year and lobbied both parties for a reunion with former Stamford Bridge colleague Pochettino.
“She’s an unbelievable coach, and an unbelievable person. Everytime we saw her she’d be like ‘Where’s Poch?’” said US sporting director Matt Crocker.
“She knows him, and we used that as a reference point as well. They’ve got the highest respect for each other. The dynamic of those two working together is exciting for us.”
Pochettino’s arrival on a big-money deal means that Hayes will no longer have pay parity with her male counterpart but the Englishwoman extended a warm welcome to the Argentinian.
“I cannot wait to work with you again, and I look forward to collaborating over the next couple of years,” she said in a video posted on social media.
“This is an exciting time for US soccer and I just wanted to say welcome, and I look forward to bringing you into the US soccer family.”
Former Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, Southampton and Espanyol coach Pochettino faces an uphill task to match the success Hayes has already enjoyed with her new team.
The seven-time Women’s Super League winner led the US to Olympic gold in Paris this summer in her first tournament after taking charge in May.
Pochettino saw his new charges draw 1-1 in a friendly New Zealand after his appointment was announced on Tuesday night, the latest in a series of below-par results for the USMNT.
They are without a win in four matches, have lost five of 10 games this year and exited the Copa America at the group stage – an outcome that proved the last straw for Berhalter’s tenure.
Nonetheless they have an improving talent pipeline that already includes Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Yunus Musah, Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams.
“The decision to join US Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on,” said Pochettino.
“The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here — those are the things that inspired me.
“The opportunity to lead the US men’s national team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldn’t pass up.
“I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of.”
Pochettino’s first games in charge will be next month’s friendlies against Panama in Texas and 2026 World Cup co-hosts Mexico in Guadalajara.