Editor's Note: Updated Aug. 16
The U.S. Men’s National Team has its new coach, according to reports in August. Mauricio Pochettino, a veteran manager with a record of success managing European clubs, has agreed to take over an American squad that has less than two years to prepare for a World Cup it will host alongside Canada and Mexico.
We will see if his appointment, once he is officially in charge for games, changes 2026 World Cup odds for the USMNT at Maryland sportsbook apps.
Mauricio Pochettino Resume
Pochettino comes to the States after managing Premier League power Chelsea last season. The club finished 18-9-11, winning its last five league games to finish sixth and qualify for the UEFA Conference League this season. The Argentine native was under contract for at least another year, but he and the club chose to part ways at the end of last season.
His best success came during his tenure at another London club, Tottenham Hotspur. He managed Spurs from May 2014 to November 2019, taking the team to its first UEFA Champions League final in May 2019. He also led the club to a second-place finish in the Premier League for the 2016-17 season, with third-place finishes bookending that.
Operators offering Maryland sports betting promos offer a wide array of odds and props for the 2024-25 Premier League season in England, which is just getting underway.
After Spurs fired him in November 2019, Pochettino took over as Paris Saint-Germain in January 2021, midway through the Ligue 1 season. PSG finished second to Lille that year and won the Coupe de France. He led the power club to a Ligue 1 title the following season before departing.
Why Pochettino Might Succeed With USMNT
The 52-year-old has never coached a national team. But his record of success in Europe more than qualifies him for the daunting task of getting the Yanks in shape for the 2026 World Cup.
The USMNT performed dismally in this summer’s Copa America, failing to advance to the knockout stage despite serving as the host for the international competition. That led to the departure of coach Gregg Berhalter.
BetMaryland.com, your source for the latest Maryland sports betting news, has been frequently updating odds for Berhalter’s successor. In our last update, we had Pochettino at +700 odds.
What may appeal to many USMNT fans is Pochettino’s style of play. He prefers to press and look for counters. Although it can expose the defense at times, it was the system that saw Harry Kane emerge as a star in England.
U.S. Still World Cup Longshots
If Pochettino can match what he did for Tottenham here in the States, it could lead to a very successful run for the U.S. on its home turf in 2026.
The Americans have to prove some skeptics wrong, and since they are automatically in the World Cup as co-hosts, they don’t have to go through qualifying. As of Aug. 16, 2024, the USA has +3000 odds to win the World Cup at Caesars Maryland Sportsbook. That’s tied with Belgium for 11th on the board. The favorite is newly crowned European champions Spain at +550 odds (their under-23 team also just won an Olympic gold medal). France (+600), Brazil (+650), England (+700) and defending World Cup champion Argentina (+950) follow in a closely packed group of betting favorites.
