Gregg Berhalter fired as USMNT coach after Copa America disaster

Disaster prompted repercussions.

Gregg Berhalter was fired as head coach of the United States Men’s Soccer Team, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced Wednesday.

It ends an extremely polarizing 5 ¹/₂ seasons in charge for Berhalter, which ended in an embarrassing group stage exit at the 2024 Copa America — hosted on U.S. soil.

“We are deeply grateful to Gregg for his commitment the past five years to the Men’s National Team and to U.S. Soccer,” U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker said in a statement. “Gregg has earned the respect of everyone within our organization and has played a pivotal role in bringing together a young team and moving the program forward. We wish Gregg all the best in his future endeavors, and we know he will find success in his next coaching position.”

The USMNT will now have a new leader ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host along with Mexico and Canada.

Crocker said U.S. Soccer has “already begun” searching for a new coach.

The potential list of replacements for Berhalter includes former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, TSG Hoffenheim manager Pellegrino Matarazzo, former Norwich manager David Wagner, former El Salvador coach Hugo Perez and ex-Arsenal and Red Bulls star Thierry Henry.

Klopp, 57, would be a home-run hire after he led Liverpool to a Premier League title and Champions League title across his nine seasons; he recently stepped down and it’s unclear if he would be willing to jump right into another job.

He’d also cost a lot of money.

Berhalter, 50, took over in December 2018 — one year after the USMNT infamously failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

He’s overseen a “golden generation” of American players, a young core the majority of which plays at the highest levels in Europe.

A former USMNT player himself, Berhalter as manager won two continental championships — the Nations League title in 2021 and the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, both times defeating Mexico in the final.

His team qualified for the 2022 World Cup, where the team subsequently reached the Round of 16 before falling to the Netherlands.

Berhalter’s contract expired following the World Cup in December, 2022. After a search for a new manager, the USSF announced in June, 2023 that Berhalter was returning as manager. 

But in his first major tournament since being rehired, the Copa America, the USMNT was humiliated.

After beating Bolivia in the opener, the USMNT lost to Panama and Uruguay and became the first host nation ever to be eliminated in the group stage in tournament history.

The USSF announced following the team’s exit that it would evaluate the head-coaching position.

And on Wednesday, they decided for a new chapter.

Berhalter’s tenure was also marred by a brief scandal.

After one of the team’s more promising players, Gio Reyna, did not receive much playing time at the 2022 World Cup, Berhalter, while speaking at a leadership conference, alluded to a player he had to discipline and nearly send home due to bad behavior.

Berhalter did not name Reyna by name, but it was clear who Berhalter was referring to.

Berhalter claimed he believed he was speaking off-the-record, but Reyna subsequently blasted Berhalter and claimed that the ex-coach told him the incident would remain in-house.

Soon after, the USSF found that Reyna’s parents, Claudio and Danielle, attempted to retaliate against Berhalter.

Danielle contacted the USSF about an alleged fight Berhalter got into with his now-wife, Rosalind, 30 years prior when the two were teammates at the University of North Carolina.

Danielle Reyna played with Rosalind Berhalter at North Carolina, while Berhalter and Claudio Reyna were teammates on the USMNT.

Berhalter claimed he was being blackmailed by the Reynas.

And the USSF’s investigation and a report by a law firm determined that Berhalter did not improperly withhold information about that 1992 incident, paving the way for him to be rehired in 2023.

Reyna was a staple in Berhalter’s lineups at the Copa America, but now the two will no longer be intertwined.

Perhaps the most important cycle in USMNT history lies ahead in the near future.

But first, finding the man to guide them there.