US Soccer fires men’s national team coach Greg Berhalter: NPR

U.S. Soccer has removed Greg Berhalter as coach of the U.S. men’s national soccer team, the federation announced Wednesday.

Berhalter’s dismissal follows the men’s national team’s disappointing finish at this summer’s Copa America, its last primary world match before co-hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

The move marks a major change for the USMNT amid massive International Cup ambitions at the time. Now, with less than two years to go until the tournament begins, a daunting challenge awaits U.S. soccer – and its party’s men’s team head coaches – to field a team that can compete with the world’s greatest teams. Could perform as per expectations in the tournament.

“I want to thank Greg for his hard work and dedication to US Soccer and our men’s national team,” said US Soccer President Cindy Parlo Cone. He said federation officials will now work to find the right person to lead the USMNT. A new era of success on the field.”

The U.S. men’s national team has long struggled on the international stage. The men’s highest performance in the modern history of the FIFA World Cup was a quarterfinal appearance in 2002.

However, with the U.S. set to co-host the match in 2026, along with Canada and Mexico, expectations are high that Berhalter will be able to match — or exceed — that quarterfinal finish on the U.S. . This summer’s Copa America was regarded as the last primary opportunity for his team to enjoy a high-level world match before 2026, and Denny. The 11-ranked US were largely expected to reach at least the quarterfinals, if not the semi-finals.

In return, America was thrown out at the staff level. The team only won against weakly ranked Bolivia. 84 around the world, before a shock defeat to Denny. 43 Panama, due to an unsportsmanlike red card on winger Tim Weah early in the game, which forced the US to play a shorthanded game for most of the match. After this, on July 1, America once again lost to Denny. 14 Uruguay.

Berhalter later said in a press conference, “We are extremely disappointed with the results. We know we are capable of doing more. And in this tournament, we didn’t show it. It’s really as simple as that.” Defeat from Uruguay.

Asked if he was still the right man to lead the team at the 2026 World Cup, Berhalter replied with an assured: “Yes.”

But as time went on, calls for Berhalter’s removal as coach grew stronger, including from former USMNT stars like Clint Dempsey, who later discussed the game as Berhalter “ruining” the wave generation of players. Was doing. The American Outlaws, an organized fan group of American nationwide soccer supporters, wrote in a commentary that the U.S. “cannot miss this incredible opportunity to make a lasting impact on the game of soccer in this country” by allowing Berhalter to remain as coach. . Throughout the International Cup.

His termination ended Berhalter’s difficult tenure. After the USMNT could not qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he was directly introduced to lead the team. He helped rebuild the team with new, more youthful players and guided them through the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, in which the team reached the knockout rounds but lost to the Netherlands in the round of 16.

That life of Berhalter’s latest guarantee is over. Shortly after the team’s loss at the World Cup, US Soccer began investigating Berhalter, with allegations of domestic violence later emerging, including a 1991 incident between Berhalter and the woman who would become his wife. I parked outside a bar. Carolina’s life was a freshman in college at North Carolina.

This accusation, as was obvious, came from the parents of Gio Reyna, a promising USMNT player who had very mediocre performances during the Qatar tournament. Reyna’s parents – one-time USMNT superstar Claudio Reyna and women’s national team member Danielle Reyna – were longtime friends of the Berhalters.

Launching an investigation months later, US Soccer exonerated Berhalter, and he was eventually rehired as a coach. In general, he compiled a 44-17-13 document in 74 matches as head coach of the crew.

Then the USMNT’s move early into this Copa United States match – a match being held in the Americas for the primary life – has renewed calls for his expulsion.

In its announcement, US Soccer noted that the federation is “committed to doing what is necessary to ensure our success on the pitch and we are dedicated to fostering a culture that leads to winning.” The comment said that the search for a new trainer has begun.

Speculations on who could be the team’s then-head coach include names such as outgoing Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, Canadian national team coach Jesse Marsh and Los Angeles FC head coach Steve Cherundolo.