Pep Guardiola shuts the door on the United States

Named among the candidates to succeed Mauricio Pochettino, the Spaniard would prefer to take a break

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Pep Guardiola shuts the door on the United States

13.12.26 15:30 Friendly International

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The United States will probably have to explore other options for their next head coach. Although Pep Guardiola has recently been linked with the job, the Spanish coach is reportedly not interested in the possibility.

According to The Telegraph, he plans to take a break after leaving Manchester City and does not want to respond positively to approaches from the United States.

Guardiola cannot see himself in charge of the United States

The possibility of Guardiola managing the US national team was recently raised by The Athletic. The outlet reported that US officials could try their luck with the former coach of Manchester City if Mauricio Pochettino were to leave his post. However, the move is unlikely to come off. According to The Telegraph, Guardiola is not keen on replacing the Argentine and is expected to turn down any approaches.

PEP GUARDIOLA WOULD REJECT AN APPROACH TO BECOME USMNT HEAD COACH, PER THE TELEGRAPH 🇺🇸❌ The 55-year-old is reportedly determined to take a full year away from the game after leaving Manchester City last summer, despite his ambition to manage a national team at a major tournament. U.S. Soccer is still expected to approach Guardiola about replacing Mauricio Pochettino, but sources insist he is not considering offers during his break. Guardiola also reportedly held talks with Italy before turning down that opportunity in the summer. The international ambition is still there. For now, the sabbatical comes first. 👀 [Jason Burt / The Telegraph]
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) November 15, 2026

After leaving Manchester City, where he finished last season in second place in the Premier League, Guardiola would like to take a step back before considering a new challenge. The Spanish coach, who has also worked at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, would therefore prefer a break to an immediate return to the touchline.

Southgate, Martínez and Howe among the candidates

In light of this possibility, the United States could turn to other coaches. According to TEAMtalk, Gareth Southgate is among the names being considered to take charge of the national team. Roberto Martínez and Eddie Howe are also reportedly among the potential candidates.

A heartfelt thank you from Mauricio Pochettino. https://t.co/a7IF7hIDHr
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 13, 2026

Mauricio Pochettino's successor therefore remains undecided. But if The Telegraph's reports are confirmed, Guardiola is unlikely to be among the options considered by the US federation.

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