The U.S. Soccer Federation fired Gregg Berhalter as coach of the men's national team following a performance at the 2024 Copa America that fell below expectations. The federation made the announcement Wednesday after Berhalter faced intense scrutiny for his job security even before the host USMNT didn't get out of the group stage, losing to Uruguay and Panama. Berhalter had coached the U.S. squad to a second-place finish in Group B and to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup with the youngest roster in the tournament based on minutes. That led to hopes that the USMNT would show progress with even better results leading up to the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. "I want to thank Gregg for his hard work and dedication to U.S. Soccer and our Men's National Team," U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement. "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." Crocker has launched a search for Berhalter's replacement, the federation said in the statement. "We are deeply grateful to Gregg for his commitment the past five years to the Men's National Team and to U.S. Soccer," Crocker said. "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." Under contract through the 2026 World Cup after he was rehired in June 2023, Berhalter went 44-17-13 in 74 matches at USMNT head coach, and 29-9-7 in official competitions. He coached the team to the 2021 Gold Cup and two CONCACAF Nations League championships. But the first former national team player to coach the U.S. at a World Cup was relieved of his duties before getting to the sport's biggest stage one more time. With one win and two losses at the Copa America, the Americans didn't advance from the group stage for the first time in five appearances. "The Copa America result is extremely disappointing, and I take full responsibility for our performance," Berhalter, who was first hired in December 2018, said in his own 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." ESPN reported that the decision to relieve of his duties Berhalter was made by Crocker after a 10-day review process, with input from Cone, CEO JT Batson, vice president of sporting Oguchi Onyewu and members of the board of directors. --Field Level Media
Jun 23, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; United States head coach Gregg Berhalter looks on before the game between the United States and Bolivia in a 2024 Copa America match at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports