After 4 months of having his contract terminated by Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino has returned to coach national team.

Mauricio Pochettino is the new manager of the United States men’s national team, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced Tuesday.

Pochettino, 52, signed a two-year contract that will take him through the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico. He succeeds Gregg Berhalter, who was fired after the USMNT’s poor showing at this summer’s Copa América.

“The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasn’t just about football for me,” Pochettino said in a statement. “It’s about the journey that this team and this country are on. The energy, the passion and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here, those are the things that inspired me.

“I see a group of players full of talent and potential and together we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of.”

Thus, Pochettino has led a national team for the first time in his career. Previously, the 52-year-old coach only led at the club level, leading Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea.

Pochettino’s mission is to help the US team compete successfully at the 2026 World Cup. In the world’s biggest football festival two years from now, the US will co-host with Canada and Mexico.