Gregg Berhalter Fired as USMNT HC After Group Stage Exit at Copa America
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRT
Featured Columnist IVJuly 10, 2024
The Gregg Berhalter era is over.
Berhalter is out as the manager of the U.S. men's national team after failing to advance past the group stage at this summer's Copa América tournament, U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday.
"I want to thank Gregg for his hard work and dedication to U.S. Soccer and our Men's National Team," said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. "We are now focused on working with our Sporting Director Matt Crocker and leveraging his experience at the highest levels of the sport to ensure we find the right person to lead the USMNT into a new era of on-field success."
Berhalter took "full responsibility" for the team's Copa América performance in a statement:
Doug McIntyre of Fox Sports first reported the news.
Berhalter's time at the helm of the USMNT has been controversial, to say the least.
Positives included a number of big wins over hated rivals Mexico and advancing past the group stage at the 2022 World Cup. But the United States almost never beat top teams in the Berhalter era and has appeared to stagnate despite arguably having the best young generation of players in USMNT history, led by Christian Pulisic.
That was compounded by the rough showing at the Copa América, a result that led to major USMNT supporter groups calling for Berhalter's firing. A tipping point had been reached.
Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz @LeBatardShow"It's got to end... It's time to go and hit your home run hire."<a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisWittyngham?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisWittyngham</a> agrees with <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelRyanRuiz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MichaelRyanRuiz</a> about it being time for the USMNT to move on from Gregg Berhalter. <br><br>WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/6vC36Ewpc3">https://t.co/6vC36Ewpc3</a> <a href="https://t.co/n958lB9rfF">pic.twitter.com/n958lB9rfF</a>
FOX Soccer @FOXSoccer"I can't believe in the coach that he's the one that's going to take us forward, I just can't." 🇺🇸<a href="https://twitter.com/AlexiLalas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlexiLalas</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CarliLloyd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CarliLloyd</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MauriceEdu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MauriceEdu</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/clint_dempsey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Clint_Dempsey</a> discuss the future of the USMNT and Gregg Berhalter after their elimination from Copa América ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/ccqUAyh6IU">pic.twitter.com/ccqUAyh6IU</a>
"Our tournament performance fell short of our expectations," the United States Soccer Federation said in a statement at the time. "We must do better. We will be conducting a comprehensive review of our performance in Copa America and how best to improve the team and results as we look towards the 2026 World Cup."
There was also the fact that Berhalter was out of the job for six months in 2022 after his contract ran out, as the USSF investigated claims from Danielle and Claudio Reyna that Berhalter assaulted his now-wife, Rosalind, while the pair were in college.
He was ultimately rehired in June 2023. And despite a number of supporters and pundits believing he should have been replaced far earlier than now, he also had his allies, namely among the players.
"I see no issue with the direction we're heading," goalkeeper Matt Turner told reporters after the Copa América debacle. "When you have a fight like that on the pitch in every single game we're in in this tournament, it speaks volumes to how the manager prepares us."
Doug McIntyre @ByDougMcIntyreChristian Pulisic when asked last night (by <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffreyCarlisle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeffreyCarlisle</a>) if he thinks Gregg Berhalter is the right person to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USMNT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USMNT</a> forward: <br>"Look, we have a good relationship with him. Whatever the next step looks like, it's not my job to decide."<a href="https://t.co/gAj7VmOa4q">https://t.co/gAj7VmOa4q</a>
"I believe we all have a comfort with Gregg and we all understand him and we've had him for a long time," Weston McKennie added. "He's progressed the team very far from where we started off four or five years ago. I think the connection that we have with him is what's important, in having a coach that players that would run through a brick wall for him, players that listen to him."
A new era for United States soccer is coming, as the country searches for the right manager to prepare the squad for the 2026 World Cup. It will be a crucial hire for the future of the program.