Mauricio Pochettino (53), the head coach of the U.S. national team, directly stated his dream of returning to Tottenham Hotspur.
The British 'Metro' reported on the 18th (Korean time) that 'Mauricio Pochettino, head coach of the U.S. national team, has expressed his hope to return to Tottenham Hotspur, which he previously managed.'
Pochettino began his managerial career in 2009 with RCD Espanyol. After that, he took charge of Southampton and led Tottenham till 2019, achieving the Premier League runner-up title and UEFA Champions League runner-up, thereby leading the team to its peak.
Pochettino then continued his managerial career with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea but did not achieve success, and he took charge of the U.S. national team in the summer of 2024.
The media noted that 'although Pochettino did not lift a trophy with Tottenham, the team reached the Champions League final under his guidance and made impressive strides in challenging for the Premier League title.'
He further stated, 'Pochettino, who currently leads the U.S. national team, is preparing for the World Cup to be held in the U.S. in 2026, but he is already considering plans beyond that.' He reported Pochettino's interview with 'Sky Sports' by mentioning the following.
'When I left Tottenham, I mentioned in an interview that I would like to return one day. My feelings have not changed since then. Of course, since I am currently in charge of the U.S. national team, I cannot discuss this deeply. But I still have the desire to return to Tottenham in my heart. Only time will tell when that will be,' he clearly stated.
He explained that he maintains a good relationship with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, who dismissed him. Pochettino said, 'The professional relationship and personal relationship are clearly different. We have always respected each other, and that has not changed. Having spent nearly six years together, we have experienced many joys and difficulties, so we share a deep consolidation.'
According to reports, Pochettino made similar comments in an interview with 'BT Sports' in 2020. At that time, he stated, 'My journey at Tottenham was truly fantastic, and it ended in a way that no one wanted. But deep in my heart, I am convinced that our paths will cross again.'
Pochettino mentioned, 'Since the day I left Tottenham, I have dreamed of returning. I want to finish what we could not complete. We came so close to winning the Premier League and the Champions League trophy.'
'Tottenham fans are incredibly special to me. I don’t know if it will be in five or 10 years, but I want to lead Tottenham once more in my lifetime,' he said.
Pochettino currently leads the U.S. national team and is focusing on preparations for the match against Panama in California on the 21st. The U.S. national team, under his command, has recently recorded four consecutive wins, and they are scheduled to face strong teams like Turkey and Switzerland in friendly matches in June.
As fans await whether the day will come when Pochettino returns to Tottenham, and whether he will finally fulfill his dream of winning a title that eluded him.
[OSEN = Jeong Seung-woo, reporter]