In a major development for both club and country, Nico Estevez has stepped down from his role as an assistant coach with the United States Men’s National Team to become the new head coach of Austin FC in Major League Soccer. The move comes as Austin looks to rebound after missing the playoffs for the second straight season since joining MLS as an expansion team in 2021.
Estevez, who hails from Spain, brings an impressive resume to Austin, having previously served as the head coach of FC Dallas from 2022-2024. During his tenure in Dallas, Estevez guided the club to the MLS playoffs in both 2022 and 2023 before being let go this past June amidst a disappointing start to the 2024 campaign that saw the team sitting in 11th place in the Western Conference.
A New Era for Austin FC
For Austin FC, the hiring of Estevez represents a fresh start after a tumultuous first few seasons in MLS. Under previous head coach Josh Wolff, who had been at the helm since the club’s inaugural season, Austin reached the Western Conference Final in 2022 but failed to build on that success, missing the playoffs in both 2023 and 2024. Wolff was ultimately dismissed on October 6th, with one match remaining in the regular season.
In Estevez, Austin is getting a proven MLS head coach who also brings valuable experience from his time with the USMNT setup. Club sporting director Rodolfo Borrell expressed confidence that Estevez is the right man to get Austin back on track, saying in a statement:
“Our search process was extremely detailed and we feel he is someone that ticks all the boxes. He is highly ambitious, has experience in MLS and he is familiar with the culture in Texas.”
Implications for the USMNT
On the national team front, Estevez’s departure leaves a void on head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s staff as the USMNT gears up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil. Estevez had only recently rejoined the national team setup earlier this summer in time for a pair of September friendlies – a win over Panama and a loss to Mexico.
The move is sure to leave Pochettino with some decisions to make regarding his assistant coaching personnel, as continuity and chemistry among the staff will be key to implementing the new coach’s vision and philosophy. In a statement, USMNT sporting director Matt Crocker thanked Estevez for his contributions and wished him well, but it remains to be seen how quickly he will move to fill the now-vacant role on Pochettino’s bench.
A Calculated Risk for Estevez
For Estevez himself, the allure of a return to the head coaching ranks and the chance to mold an Austin FC squad brimming with potential clearly outweighed his relatively short second stint as a USMNT assistant. However, there is undoubtedly some risk involved for the 38-year-old, who is tasked with meeting lofty expectations in one of the league’s most ambitious and demanding markets.
With Austin set to move into a new state-of-the-art stadium in 2025 and rumors swirling of high-profile player signings to come, the pressure will be on Estevez to deliver results from the get-go. Having been dismissed midseason in Dallas after just two and a half years at the helm, he knows all too well how quickly the tide can turn for even the most highly-regarded MLS coaches.
The Road Ahead
As Estevez gets set to put his stamp on the Austin FC project, all eyes will be on how quickly he can implement his philosophy and get his new charges firing on all cylinders. With just a handful of matches remaining in the 2024 season, the real work will begin this offseason as he looks to reshape the roster and lay the groundwork for a return to the playoffs in 2025.
For the USMNT, meanwhile, the search for Estevez’s replacement now becomes a top priority for Pochettino & Co. as the national team juggernaut rolls on with World Cup qualifying looming next summer. As two of American soccer’s most storied institutions embark on new eras, it’s clear that Nico Estevez’s coaching journey is one that will have far-reaching implications in the months and years to come.
