Mauricio Pochettino’s cast doubt on his long-term future with the U.S men’s national team by admitting that he’s “missing” being in the Premier League.
Pochettino previously spent most of a decade working in England, across spells in charge at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, separated by a brief stay at Paris Saint-Germain. His USMNT contract runs until the 2026 World Cup.
The Argentine still has a house in London that he regularly comes back to, continuing to divide his time between there and the U.S. Soccer facility in Atlanta. But while he insists he is happy leading the American team, with a home World Cup to focus on in a matter of months, Pochettino has reiterated a longstanding desire to one day return to the Premier League.
“The Premier League is the best league in the world,” the 53-year-old told BBC Sport in the UK. “Of course I am missing it. I am so happy in America but also thinking one day to come back to the Premier League. It’s the most competitive league.”
Even though Pochettino surprised many when he accepted a job with Chelsea in 2023, due to their rivalry with Tottenham, it is Spurs he specifically seems to be pining for.
“I think we were so close in Tottenham, we nearly touched it [winning the Champions League and Premier League]. That is a thing that I would want to achieve,” he said.
‘Before I Die, I Want to Manage Tottenham’
Sacked just months after guiding Spurs to the Champions League final for the first time ever in 2019—he also oversaw a best domestic finish in more than half a century by finishing second in the Premier League 2016–17—Pochettino has made little secret of desire to go back.
“When I left the club, I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham,” he said to Sky Sports earlier this year.
“I am in the USA, I’m not going to talk about that, but what I said then still after six years, I still feel in my heart that, yes, I would like one day to come back. We see the timing.”
In the years since his firing, Pochettino had continued to maintain a relationship with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, which fans always felt left the door open. With Levy now stepping down after 25 years of calling the shots and a new structure in place, as well as Thomas Frank just embarking on a new project, it may not be such a clearcut opportunity. But no one would rule anything out.
“It was an amazing journey that finished the way no-one wanted it to finish,” Pochettino recalled in 2020 of his still fresh Spurs memories in a BT Sport interview.
“But deep in my heart I am sure our paths will cross again. From the day I left the club, my dream is to be back one day and to try to finish the work we didn’t finish. We were so close to winning the Premier League and Champions League. Deep inside I want to go back because the fans are so special. Maybe in five years, maybe in 10 years, but before I die, I want to manage Tottenham.”
READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MATCH REACTION
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mauricio Pochettino Opens Door to Big USMNT Change.
