Report: USMNT Eyes ‘Accomplished International Manager’ After Gregg Berhalter Firing

The next manager of the United States Men’s National Team could come from abroad.

Per Fox Sports’ Doug McIntyre, the U.S. is eyeing “the most accomplished international manager possible” as its next hire after firing Gregg Berhalter.

“But faced with the sobering reality that there are no U.S. coaches who are habitual winners at the highest level and available right now — if there are any at all — U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker has instead set its sights on attracting the most accomplished international manager possible, multiple sources told FOX Soccer this week,” McIntyre wrote.

Berhalter’s exit came after a disappointing showing at the 2024 Copa América tournament that saw the United States win just one game and drop two as it failed to advance past the group stages.

The poor performance at Copa América provided enough evidence that Berhalter wasn’t the manager the USMNT wanted leading the charge as it prepares for the 2026 World Cup in North America, which could be a golden opportunity for the team to have success against the world’s best teams.

Should the USMNT hire a non-American, it will be just the third coach since the start of the modern era—which began in 1989—to be from outside of the United States. Bora Milutinović and Jürgen Klinsmann were the only non-Americans out of 11 coaches.

But hiring from outside of the United States could be the best plan of attack for the USMNT as it looks to be a serious contender on the biggest stage in the world in two years. With few Americans who have a track record of success available right now, the best person for the job could be an international manager.

“I just want to get the best coach possible that can help the team win,” Crocker said. “Whether they’re from the U.S. or elsewhere, they’ve got to fit the profile, which is a serial winning coach.”