Guardiola set to reject USMNT approach as year-long sabbatical takes priority

Pep Guardiola is set to reject an approach from U.S. Soccer to take over the men’s national team, according to a report by The Telegraph, dealing an early blow to the federation’s managerial search. The Catalan coach, who left Manchester City earlier this summer after 19 years in management, has committed to a full year’s sabbatical before considering his next role.

The report lands just a day after talkSPORT claimed U.S. Soccer was preparing to open initial negotiations with Guardiola this week, suggesting any formal approach would be dead on arrival. Italy’s football federation had already tested Guardiola’s resolve, reportedly offering him $11 million per season to lead the Azzurri — a proposal he also declined in favour of his planned break.

Guardiola’s record makes him one of the most coveted coaches in the world. Across spells at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, he accumulated 41 trophies, and there would be no shortage of elite clubs and national federations ready to compete for his signature once his sabbatical concludes.

The USMNT vacancy opened last Friday when Mauricio Pochettino confirmed he would be leaving to join Manchester United after the conclusion of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal tie against Haiti. The U.S. won the first leg 6-0 in Miami on Saturday, with the second leg in Cincinnati on Tuesday set to serve as Pochettino’s farewell fixture.

Pochettino, 54, was appointed in October 2024 and oversaw a fourth-place finish at the 2025 Concacaf Nations League, a runner-up finish at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, and a round-of-16 exit at the 2026 World Cup. Before taking the USMNT role, he had managed Espanyol, Paris Saint-Germain, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in a career spanning both club football’s elite and international management.

With Guardiola apparently unavailable until at least mid-2026, U.S. Soccer faces a more complicated search than initially anticipated as it looks to build on the World Cup experience ahead of the next cycle.