The Gregg Berhalter fired news took longer than fans wanted, however on Wednesday the axe finally came down on the USMNT head coach. FOX Sports' Doug McIntyre broke the news.
U.S. Soccer then confirmed Berhalter's firing.
#BerhalterOut has become reality.
Gregg Berhalter fired by U.S. Soccer
Gregg Berhalter has been relieved of his duties, effective immediately » https://t.co/sHi1ss2QDe pic.twitter.com/pkHAiCRGnP
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) July 10, 2024
Gregg Berhalter will not continue as #USMNT coach, multiple sources tell @FOXSoccer:https://t.co/tPOZWgIGeI
— Doug McIntyre (@ByDougMcIntyre) July 10, 2024
BREAKING: Gregg Berhalter is OUT as USMNT head coach
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) July 10, 2024
A shocking group stage exit in Copa América, hosted by the U.S., was the final straw. In all honesty, this was a long time coming with critics and fans calling for Berhalter’s exit even before he was rehired in 2023.
Since Berhalter’s initial hiring in 2018, he led the USMNT to a record of 44 wins, 13 draws and 17 losses. On paper that record looks solid and puts him third on the list of USMNT managers with the most wins behind Bruce Arena and Jürgen Klinsmann.
A closer look at the results reveals that Berhalter could never get it done against the big teams. He failed to pull off a single upset with arguably the most talented group of American soccer players in history.
Berhalter’s crowning results include a 0-0 draw against England in the 2022 World Cup and a 1-1 friendly draw against a sputtering Brazil in June. Other than that his big achievements were Concacaf titles against a faltering Mexico.
The USMNT’s record against top 20 teams in the world other than Mexico was abysmal. The only time Berhalter secured a victory against a top 20 team was in the World Cup when the U.S. defeated Iran 1-0. Iran’s ranking? 20…
When Berhalter was faced with real challenges the USMNT always came up short. Since his rehiring in 2023 Berhalter has produced a large sample of performances that would’ve damned any previous USMNT manager.
In October 2023 the USMNT were outclassed at home vs. Germany 3-1 in a friendly. The next month his side repeated the worst result in USMNT history with a 2-1 loss in Trinidad and Tobago.
This summer he put together a 5-1 beatdown defeat to Colombia, a 2-1 loss to Panama in the Copa América group stage and then the final 1-0 loss to Uruguay.
All those losses came in the span of nine months.
Following the USMNT’s devastating failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the team needed a head coach to get the team back on their feet. Berhalter was that guy.
He got the U.S. back in the World Cup, albeit he only qualified the team by besting Costa Rica on goal difference in World Cup qualifiers…
Berhalter got the USMNT back up from its 2018 squalor, but now it's time for someone new to let this team spread their wings.
It’s safe to say that after nearly six years in charge we’ve seen Berhalter’s ceiling. He isn’t the guy that will take U.S. Soccer to new heights in the home 2026 World Cup.
U.S. Soccer need to find an experienced international head coach, fast.
