The Argentine is set for his first matches in charge of the U.S. against Panama and Mexico as the road towards the 2026 World Cup begins

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There is a unique scrutiny that comes with being the head coach of the United States men's national team. You're expected to provide the world, even if the tools at your disposal are barely enough to conquer the continent.

It's a hot-seat that has chomped up pretty much everyone who's ever sat in it; now is the turn of Mauricio Pochettino. He may not be the Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp that so many American fans ambitiously craved, but appointing the Argentine is a huge coup and a significant statement of intent.

But what does this say about Pochettino and his goals? What now for his career? Is this but a pit stop or something far greater?

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We need to establish the context first. To start with, it's worth stressing that not every manager in the history of the USMNT has been a failure. Far from it, in some cases.

In recent times, all of Bob Bradley, Jurgen Klinsmann, Bruce Arena and Gregg Berhalter have enjoyed moderate levels of success – usually the odd World Cup appearance and maybe a Gold Cup title – but they have never turned 'soccer' into 'football'.

Some of those names were more adored than others, though they all eventually suffered the same fate. They were the nearly-men who dared to dream of a brighter America in the realms of this sport.

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Pochettino has hardly walked into the perfect job, but the silver linings are that he relishes such a challenge and most roles in football nowadays are, if anything, designed and contorted to be convoluted.

The USMNT are coming off a massively disappointing Copa America on home soil, which was largely seen as the team's warm-up for the 2026 World Cup. Their dismal group-stage exit has left the public short of confidence in the playing squad, and Pochettino has work to do in order to reverse that narrative.

There is undoubtedly quality in the ranks that has underperformed as a collective to this point. But the players have no more excuses with an elite manager at the helm.

For Pochettino, he is back in a high-profile job only months after controversially being let go by Chelsea. After a nigh-on disastrous start, he managed to steady the Stamford Bridge ship and lay some needed foundations for the Blues' future, only to be relieved of his duties by Todd Boehly & Co.

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But Pochettino's decision to take his talents stateside raised eyebrows across Europe and his native South America. Why would he step into international football at this juncture of his career?

From the outside looking in, Pochettino seemingly still had more to give to the club game. Though his Chelsea stint was far from rosy, he replenished his credit in the bank and would surely have been a leading contender for any major job with a vacancy (looking at you, Manchester United).

With Pochettino's reputation comes the demand for success and the promise of a brighter future. In USMNT terms, that will come in the form of a deep run at the World Cup and breaking through the sport's glass ceiling in the country.

It's quite the ask of any manager, even one as accomplished as Pochettino. If he fails to deliver the goods, the prospects of his next job are bleak, while the USMNT will have trouble pitching to successors that their dugout isn't actually cursed.

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Let's get this straight, though – the USMNT were not in a position to overlook a manager like Pochettino. It's a hire they had to make and one they should have few regrets about even if it all goes up in flames when it's said and done.

Pochettino, meanwhile, will also view this as a challenge worth getting stuck into. There is a prestige about this job that few others can really rival, while it could merely represent an opportune break from his club career.

The politics behind Pochettino's last few roles will almost certainly have taken their toll on him. His exit from Tottenham, a club he essentially rebuilt in the modern day, was unfair and undignified considering all he had done for them. At Paris Saint-Germain, he walked into a club run by the star players, while he was caught in the crossfire of Chelsea's 'civil war'.

The most important person in the USMNT setup now is unquestionably Pochettino, and those upstairs who have had previous decisions questioned need to fall in line. He has that command and that level of immediate respect. Perhaps this is a want he wasn't going to get with any other team.