MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — Mauricio Pochettino says he might be open to remaining as U.S. coach beyond this summer's World Cup while not ruling out a return to Europe with Tottenham or Real Madrid.
Pochettino agreed in September 2024 to a contract with the U.S. Soccer Federation through the World Cup. A former coach of Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, he could be sought by relegation-threatened Spurs or Real Madrid, which trails Barcelona in the Spanish league.
“I think everyone knows that I am committed with the national team here,” Pochettino said during a news conference Monday ahead of a friendly against Portugal. “We are open. We don’t have contract for the future, but why not if we are happy and the federation is happy?”
Pochettino said he has not had talks with either Tottenham or Real Madrid.
A defender on Argentina’s 2002 World Cup roster, the 54-year-old Pochettino has homes in London and Barcelona. While he has spoken of searching for a home near the U.S. Soccer Federation’s new headquarters and training center in Fayetteville, Georgia, he has not found one yet.
At Madrid, coach Xabi Alonso was fired on Jan. 12 and replaced by Álvaro Arbeloa.
Pochettino managed Tottenham from the start of the 2014 season until he was fired in November 2019, leading the team to three straight top-three finishes in the Premier League and the 2019 Champions League final. He feels a connection to the team's fans and staff.
“It was one of my best experiences in my life," Pochettino said.
Tottenham has 30 points and is 17th among the 20 Premier League teams, one point above the relegation zone with seven games left. Spurs are winless in 13 league games since Dec. 28, losing eight. Manager Thomas Frank was fired on Feb. 11 and replaced by Igor Tudor, who was fired Sunday.
Spurs have not played in a lower division since 1977-78.
“I am sure they’re going to stay up, with coach or without coach,” Pochettino said. “Because of the players, because I think Tottenham have unbelievable players and then it’s a club with — the fans that are going to make everything to create that energy to win. Of course that is going to be tough because the synergy and the dynamic is difficult.”
Pochettino didn't anticipate how difficult a task he faced with the U.S. team, whose players are spread throughout Major League Soccer and Europe.
“It’s tough, but it’s a massive challenge. It’s a bigger challenge than we really believe or thought before to start here. ... and never is easy when you want to change things or when you need to change," he said. “The potential is massive, and with the legacy of the World Cup, I think, and in the way that is growing the soccer here, you are seeing all our youth teams, how they are growing, how they are competing. I think it’s very exciting in the future here.”
Pochettino won't make any decision until after the U.S. participation in the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19.
“Now is not time to talk, it’s time to be focusing in the World Cup," he said. "After the World Cup for sure we will have time to to talk in some way (or) another, depend(ing) on the vision of the federation and also our feeling, if we are happy.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino watches the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match against Trinidad and Tobago from the sidelines in San Jose, Calif., June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
FILE - United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino after facing Australia in the second half of an international friendly soccer match, Oct. 14, 2025, in Commerce City, Colo.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)
GUWAHATI, India (AP) — Young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a 15-ball half-century as Rajasthan Royals thrashed Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in the Indian Premier League on Monday.
On a pitch which was under covers for most of the last two days due to wet weather, Chennai was put in and crumbled to 127 all out in 19.4 overs. All six Rajasthan bowlers shared the wickets.
The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi was dropped on the first ball he faced then powered the chase with 52 off 17 balls — raising the third fastest fifty in the IPL — as Rajasthan cruised to 128-2 in only 12.1 overs.
Five-time champion Chennai has undergone a youth movement in order to make a long-term rebound from finishing in last place last year. But it made an inauspicious start thanks to the youngest player in the league.
Sooryavanshi's miscued pull shot against Matt Henry in the first over was dropped by debutant Kartik Sharma, a tough two-handed catch over his shoulders while running backward from midwicket. Sharma failed to chase the ball and it dribbled over the boundary, the first of Sooryavanshi's four boundaries plus five sixes.
Sooryavanshi gave Rajasthan a blazing start of 74-0 in the powerplay. He clobbered wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad for successive sixes and raised his half-century off just 15 balls before he holed out to Sarfaraz Khan at sweeper cover in the seventh over.
Fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had a front row seat to Sooryavanshi's artistry. He was dropped on 26 before finishing 38 not out off 36 balls.
“The plan was to decide the game in the powerplay as we’d restricted them to a low score," Sooryavanshi said. “After every ball Jaiswal doesn't tell me to take a single. He tells me that the ball's going off the bat nicely and to keep going.”
New Rajasthan skipper Riyan Parag’s decision to bowl first in favorable conditions was vindicated when Chennai slumped to 38-4 against the express pace of Jofra Archer (2-19) and Nandre Burger (2-26).
Former Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson (6) had a forgetful first game for his new franchise Chennai when Burger flattened his off stump with a 140 kph delivery.
Samson was hired to fix the top order batting issues for Chennai but captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also made only 6 when he exposed his stumps against Archer’s pace and was clean bowled.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2-18), playing for Rajasthan after 17 seasons with Chennai, struck twice in his first over to reduce Chennai further to 57-6.
With Mahendra Singh Dhoni not available for the first two weeks due to a calf injury, Chennai was in danger of opening its campaign with less than 100 runs. But Jamie Overton top-scored with 43 off 36 balls before he was run out in the last over.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Chennai Super Kings' captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is bowled out during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, India, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Rajasthan Royals's Nandre Burger, left, celebrates the wicket of Chennai Super Kings' Sanju Samson during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, India, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Rajasthan Royals' Ravindra Jadeja, second left, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Chennai Super Kings' Shivam Dube during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, India, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, India, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi celebrates his fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, India, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
