USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino reportedly among the candidates shortlisted by Real Madrid to take over as manager next season

The Spanish giants began the season under first-year head coach Xabi Alonso, who was hired after building Bayer Leverkusen into a Bundesliga champion. A former Real Madrid midfielder himself, Alonso had long been earmarked for the job and was brought in this past summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who took over Brazil.

Alonso lasted just a few months, though, as he was dismissed in January, with the club turning to another former player, Alvaro Abreloa, to take over. Arbeloa had been managing on the youth level, and reports say the coach would need to greatly exceed expectations to keep the job.

According to ESPN, Pochettino is one coach that the club has shortlisted ahead of this summer. Real Madrid are evaluating different candidates and the job remains arguably the pinnacle of the sport, leaving no shortage of contenders to take it over. 

Pochettino, though, has La Liga experience, having played for and coached Espanyol, but also has a top-flight history with Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, several of the world's top clubs. 

The Argentine has been linked with a return to Europe throughout his USMNT tenure, most notably with reports indicating that he could return to Spurs following the World Cup.

Pochettino is heading into the home stretch of this World Cup cycle, having joined up with the USMNT midway through it. He was tasked with leading the U.S. into a World Cup on home soil and that World Cup is coming quickly.

The U.S. will play March friendlies against Portugal and Belgium before Pochettino finalizes his World Cup roster on May 24. The team will then play Senegal and Germany in pre-World Cup friendlies ahead of their tournament-opening game against Paraguay on June 12.

Los Blancos sit second in La Liga, four points behind Barcelona with 11 games to play in the domestic season. All eyes are on the Champions League in Madrid, though, as Arbeloa's side will face Manchester City in a two-legged Round of 16 tie beginning on Wednesday.