Mauricio Pochettino established himself as one of the top managers in the world during his time in England. That success ultimately led to his appointment as USMNT head coach ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he has now acknowledged that he sees a potential return to the Premier League in his future.
During a recent interview on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, Pochettino reflected on the current state of Tottenham Hotspur—a club he managed from 2014 to 2019—and admitted his desire to return. “One day, yes, because I really like England,” he said.
“I think my profile – my human profile and my coaching profile – match very well with the Premier League,” added the 54-year-old Argentine, who has spent more than half of his managerial career in England.
At Tottenham, Pochettino enjoyed his most successful spell, leading the team to a runner-up finish in the EFL Cup in 2015 and, most notably, to the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool. During those five and a half years, he also helped elevate players such as Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Christian Eriksen, and Son Heung-min to stardom.
Pochettino was Harry Kane’s manager at Tottenham.
Before that, Poch managed Southampton, where results were less consistent but his style of play helped propel him into the European elite. His most recent Premier League experience came with Chelsea, whom he led during the 2023-24 season, posting a 50.98% win rate.
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Pochettino laments Tottenham’s current struggles
After spending more than five years at Tottenham, Mauricio Pochettino has a strong connection with the club. With Spurs now going through a difficult period and facing a serious risk of relegation to the Championship, the coach shared his thoughts.
“It’s really sad because I know how the people are suffering there, inside the club and also the fans. It’s difficult to accept,” he explained. “I really love Tottenham. It’s going to be a part of my life, an important part of my life as a coach, my personal life too.”
The challenge ahead for Pochettino
Beyond his future ambitions of returning to the Premier League, Mauricio Pochettino faces what may be the biggest challenge of his career. This summer, he will manage at a World Cup for the first time, and he will do so as head coach of the tournament’s main host nation.
The USMNT’s goal this year is to improve on previous World Cup performances. After reaching the quarterfinals in South Korea–Japan 2002, they have not advanced beyond the Round of 16, and have also endured setbacks such as a group-stage exit in Brazil 2014 and failure to qualify for Russia 2018.
The USMNT will open their 2026 World Cup campaign on June 12 against Paraguay in Matchday 1 of Group D at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. One week later, they will face Australia in Seattle before returning to California on June 25 to take on Turkey.
