Manchester United appoints Mauricio Pochettino as manager

Manchester United has appointed Mauricio Pochettino as its manager, ending his tenure with the U.S. men’s national team after he led it to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. He will coach the United States in two matches against Haiti before taking charge of a club fighting to escape the Premier League’s relegation zone.

Pochettino has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal to replace Michael Carrick, who was dismissed Thursday, The Guardian reported. United have won one of their past 11 games and made their worst start to a season in four decades. Pochettino’s first match is set to be at Liverpool next Sunday.

The move reverses a commitment Pochettino made in August, when he signed an extension to lead the U.S. through the 2030 World Cup. According to The Guardian, United paid the U.S. federation about $10 million (£7.5 million) for his release, plus an additional fee for his longtime assistants.

“The opportunity to represent the USA crest was one of the greatest honours of my career,” Pochettino said Friday. He thanked the players for their commitment, fans for their belief and the federation for its support. “There is tremendous talent in the US player pool from the youth teams through to the senior team,” he said, adding that he and his staff would continue to support the teams.

Hired in September 2024, Pochettino took over a struggling U.S. side ahead of its first home World Cup in 32 years. The team topped its group at the 2026 tournament and won its first knockout-round match since 2002. His three World Cup wins were the most by a U.S. men’s coach, according to NPR.

His overall U.S. record was 21 wins, 12 losses and two draws, The Guardian reported. The World Cup campaign included a 4-1 group-stage win over Paraguay but ended with a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16. The Guardian also noted a fourth-place finish in the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League and defeat to Mexico in the 2025 Gold Cup final. Seventy-five players made at least one U.S. appearance during his tenure.

Pochettino previously managed Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, among other clubs. He represented Argentina as a player at the 2002 World Cup.

The Guardian reported that United chose Pochettino after considering other candidates, seeking an experienced coach with a record of developing players. His second match against Haiti ends early Wednesday in Britain, and he is expected to begin work at United on Thursday. Steve Cherundolo, coach of the U.S. under-23 team, will lead the senior side’s December camp, The Guardian reported.

Carrick thanked United’s fans, players and staff in an Instagram post Friday. “I want nothing but success for Manchester United,” he wrote.