NEW YORK, July 11 — Gregg Berhalter was relieved of his duties as head coach of the United States (US) men's team, US Soccer said yesterday, after a humiliating early exit on home soil at the Copa America.
The country failed to advance from the group stage of the tournament following a shock 2-1 defeat to Panama and a crushing 1-0 loss to Uruguay that immediately cast Berhalter's future into doubt.
"I want to thank Gregg for his hard work and dedication to US Soccer and our Men’s National Team.
"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," said US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone in a statement.
The split marks an abrupt reversal of fortunes for Berhalter, who was expected to develop the team as the US prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup.
Berhalter, who was initially hired in 2018, led the US to the knockout stages of the World Cup in 2022 but landed in a bitter public dispute with Gio Reyna, one of the team's brightest young stars, just weeks later.
US Soccer engaged in a lengthy search for a new coach as his contract expired at the end of 2022, but it rehired Berhalter last June with the players' full backing.
Berhalter, the first former national team player to coach the US at a World Cup, won 44 of his 74 matches as head coach.
— Reuters
