Pochettino confirms AC Milan contact while pledging full commitment to USMNT for World Cup
U.S. Men's National Team manager Mauricio Pochettino did not deny that his camp had been approached by AC Milan, according to press conference recordings obtained by ESPN. The Argentine coach confirmed that an enquiry from the Italian club had reached his team while at the same time stating, 'I am 100 percent committed to U.S. Soccer at this moment.' The press conference took place roughly two weeks before the U.S. opening World Cup match.
ESPN reported that AC Milan is considering Pochettino among contingency plans should the contract of current manager Sergio Conceição not be extended at the end of the season. The Italian club has not won the Serie A in the last three years and was eliminated early from the UEFA Champions League group stage. Club sporting director Geoffrey Moncada declined to comment on the matter to ESPN.
U.S. Soccer characterised Pochettino's contacts as 'a period of uncertainty.' USSF president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a written statement to the Wall Street Journal, 'Mauricio's commitment through to the World Cup is clearly defined in his contract.' The federation is preparing for the U.S. opening 2026 World Cup match at BMO Field with possible opponents including Türkiye, Canada or Mexico.
Pochettino took over the U.S. national team in 2023 and prepared the side for the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2025 final and for the World Cup roster. According to player-career tracking data published by ESPN, Pochettino has won 13 of his 19 matches in charge and has moved the team from 16th to 9th in the world rankings.
Italian football expert Carlo Garganese said in an ESPN interview, 'It is not unusual for Milan to plan a national-team manager before he comes in, but the club needs to clarify its contract conversations before formally approaching such a high-profile candidate.' Garganese said that Conceição's run-in fixtures would shape the club's decision.
U.S. Soccer's financial plan ahead of the World Cup shows Pochettino's current contract runs through the end of July 2026. If Milan brings a formal offer and Pochettino accepts the post, U.S. sporting director Matt Crocker will have to activate backup candidates immediately. Crocker's list reportedly includes Eric Cantona, Pep Lijnders and former Milan manager Stefano Pioli.
U.S. national team players described Pochettino's contact as 'a surprise' to Bloomberg's sports-focused team. Team captain Christian Pulisic said in an ESPN interview, 'We trust our manager; he spoke face-to-face with us.' Pulisic himself, formerly an AC Milan player who has been the subject of active transfer rumours, added a layer of drama to the situation.
Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani told investors at the club's annual general meeting, 'We have not yet been able to make a single managerial decision for the new season.' Milan's majority owner RedBird Capital Partners has earmarked 220 million euros for the post-season sporting reorganisation. A portion of that fund will go to the manager's salary.
Sports investment analysts at Goldman Sachs estimated that the federation could see a short-term 8 percent drop in sponsorship revenue if Pochettino leaves the U.S. side. CONCACAF representatives said that managerial changes before a World Cup rarely cause non-physical problems for players. Historical data show that three of the four host nations between 1998 and 2022 changed managers before the World Cup.
Pochettino closed his ESPN conversation with the words, 'My only goal at the moment is to represent the United States with pride at the World Cup. Everything beyond that relates to matters that will happen in the future.' This article is a football news report and should not be read as investment, personal or career advice regarding contract negotiations or career decisions.