Mauricio Pochettino has the United States purring on home soil at the World Cup, fresh off a winning start that has eased the pressure on the host nation.
The Argentine has turned a team that crashed out of the 2024 Copa América into one that suddenly looks the part, and the federation's decision to gamble on a marquee coach is starting to look shrewd.
Landing him, though, was never simple business. Pochettino arrived on a deal worth several million dollars a year, and US Soccer could not cover that figure alone. Instead, the money came from a small group of private donors.
Photo by Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
When Gregg Berhalter was dismissed in 2024, US Soccer wanted a marquee name to lead the team into a home World Cup. Paying for one was the harder part.
Unlike most national federations, the governing body receives no direct government funding, leaning instead on its own revenue, sponsorship and donations.
A coach of Pochettino's pedigree — a man who had guided Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final and managed Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea — sat well beyond the usual budget.
That is where Scott Goodwin entered the picture, as a behind-the-scenes account of the hire later detailed. The co-founder of hedge fund Diameter Capital Partners urged US Soccer to aim high, and when told the leading candidates were unaffordable, his answer was short.
Goodwin replied (via AOL ): "I'll pay."
After a meeting with US Soccer chief executive JT Batson, he brought in someone with even deeper pockets — Ken Griffin.
The billionaire founder of Citadel, who had previously funded youth soccer fields in Chicago and Miami, agreed to make what the federation described as a significant philanthropic gift to bankroll the hire. Several commercial partners contributed as well.
Griffin framed the donation as a national cause at the time, saying the players' success "expands the reach of this great sport."
The figures were eye-catching. Pochettino's reported $6 million salary made him the highest-paid coach in the federation's history — more than double what Berhalter earned — while the full cost, including Berhalter's buyout, has been estimated at around $20 million.
Whether it proves money well spent will be decided on the field over the next few weeks. For now, with the World Cup hosts up and running and Pochettino's side finally clicking, the backers who covered the bill have little reason for regret.
