US men's soccer coach fired after Copa America failure
Gregg Berhalter has lost his job as coach of the US men's national soccer team. (AP PHOTO)
Gregg Berhalter has been fired as US men's soccer coach nine days after his team's first-round exit from the Copa America tournament flamed doubts he was the right person to remain in charge for the 2026 World Cup.
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Berhalter's second term as coach was cut short 10 months after he returned to the bench with high hopes and proclaimed the team's goal was "to change soccer in America forever".
The US had seven wins, six losses and one draw in his second stint, leaving his overall record at 44 wins, 17 losses and 13 draws.
"The Copa America result is extremely disappointing and I take full responsibility for our performance," Berhalter said in a statement.
"Our approach and process was always focused on the 2026 World Cup and I remain confident that this group will be one of the great stories in 2026."
The US opened the Copa America tournament with a 2-0 win to Bolivia, then lost 2-1 to Panama and 1-0 to Uruguay.
Sporting director Matt Crocker rehired Berhalter and also will make the recommendation on his replacement. The team next plays in September friendlies against Canada and New Zealand.
"Our immediate focus is on finding a coach who can maximize (sic) our potential as we continue to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, and we have already begun our search process," Crocker said in a statement.
Jurgen Klopp, Thierry Henry and Marcelo Bielsa are among those being speculated about as candidates to replace Berhalter, along with Jesse Marsch, Hugo Perez, Pellegrino Matarazzo, David Wagner, Steve Cherundolo, Jim Curtain, Massimiliano Allegri and Mauricio Pochettino.
Just 23 months remain before the World Cup heads to the US for the second time. The Americans play their opener at Inglewood, California, on June 12, 2026.
The only competitive matches with the full player pool before then will probably be in the CONCACAF Nations League.
Berhalter, who turns 51 on August 1, was the first American to coach the national team after playing for the country at a World Cup.
He was hired to coach the US in December 2018 after stints with Sweden's Hammarby (2011-13) and Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew (2013-18).
"I want to thank the U.S. Soccer Federation for entrusting me to lead this team for the past five years," Berhalter said.
"Representing our country is a tremendous honor (sic) and I am proud of the identity we have built on and off the field. It was very gratifying watching this team improve over the years and I remain grateful for the lifetime bonds created with our players, coaches, and staff members."
Berhalter led the US to titles in the CONCACAF Nations League in 2020, 2023 and 2024 and to another with a B team in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Australian Associated Press
