Calls for Berhalter to step down from USMNT are growing. Here are possible candidates to replace him
Coach Gregg Berhalter of the United States greets goalkeeper Matt Turner after losing 0-1 against Uruguay at the end of a Copa America Group C soccer match in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffman)
NEW YORK (AP) — Jürgen Klopp, Thierry Henry and Marcelo Bielsa are among those being speculated about as candidates to take over from Gregg Berhalter as U.S. coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Jesse Marsch, Hugo Pérez and Pellegrino Matarazzo could be considered if Berhalter is fired or quits. Among high-level European club coaches, Massimiliano Allegri and Mauricio Pochettino also are available.
Berhalter remained as coach Tuesday, a day after the U.S. was eliminated from the Copa America in the first round with a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay. He has a contract through the 2026 tournament, which will be cohosted by the U.S., but has lost the support of a significant portion of the fan base.
United States coach Gregg Berhalter looks on prior to a Copa America Group C soccer match against Panama in Atlanta, Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
“I don't think anybody would bat an eye. Most teams and federations, it would be a fait accompli,” former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas, now Fox's lead soccer analyst, said Tuesday. “At a time where we need to be energized and excited about the leadership going into the next two years, I think we find ourselves questioning and negative and cynical and divided, let’s be honest, relative to what can be in 2026.”
Coach Gregg Berhalter of United States celebrates his team's 2-0 victory over Bolivia at the end of a Copa America Group C soccer match in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Some aren't convinced the USSF will force out Berhalter, given the length of time it took to make decisions the last two times the job was open.
“If this were any other country, I think the decision would probably have been a lot easier, but I think they're going to be reluctant to make any changes, at least any time soon,” former goalkeeper Tony Meola said.
Led by Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, the current player pool has the most illustrious pedigree in American soccer history. In last month’s friendly against Colombia, for the first time all 11 starters played for clubs in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
Yet, the team has seven wins, six losses and one draw since Berhalter returned to the bench last September.
“They haven’t lived up to this promise of a golden generation,” former defender Marcelo Balboa said. “What has this group done? We won Gold Cups. They won Gold Cups.”
Matt Crocker was hired as USSF sporting director in April 2023 and made last year's decision to bring back Berhalter. He again would lead a search.
“Matt Crocker, this is on him in that he’s hired Gregg, and so if there is a problem it means admitting not just a mistake but a colossal mistake,” Lalas said.
Possible candidates:
Klopp
He would be the highest-profile replacement after leading Liverpool for nine seasons that included Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles. He said in January he was retiring at the end of the season and intended to wait at least a year before taking another coaching job.
He likely would require a vastly higher salary.
Berhalter earned $2,291,136 in 2022, including $900,000 in bonuses for the Americans qualifying for the World Cup and reaching the second round. Jurgen Klinsmann was given a $2.5 million base salary when he was hired in 2011 to replace Bob Bradley, whose base was $515,647 in 2010.
Henry
A former star for Arsenal, Barcelona and the New York Reds Bulls, Henry is coaching France at this summer's Olympics, where men's soccer is mostly limited to players under 23.
Past head coaching jobs included Monaco and the Montreal Impact.
When the U.S. job was vacant in February 2023, Henry said in his role as a CBS analyst that he had questions about what the USSF approach is: “What's the plan? What's the philosophy? What do you want to be?”
Bielsa
Born in Argentina, he coached Argentina from 1998-2004, Chile from 2007-11 and took over Uruguay last year. His club experience includes spells at Leeds, Marseille and Athletic Bilbao.
Marsch
A former coach of the New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig and Leeds, Marsch was hired in May as Canada's coach.
He said he was interviewed by the USSF last year before Berhalter was rehired, telling the CBS Sports Golazo Network in a May 16 "Call It What You Want" podcast: “I wasn’t treated very well in the process."
Pérez
He played for the U.S. from 1984-94, helping the team qualify for the 1990 World Cup but missed the tournament because of an injury.
Born in El Salvador, Pérez coached his native country’s national team from 2021-23.
He posted best wishes to the U.S. team before Monday’s game.
“Leading a national team is the hardest, even harder than coaching a club because of the limited time you have with the players,” Pérez wrote on X. “Gregg is a smart and respected coach and can do something special with this group tonight.”
Matarazzo
A New Jersey native who played college soccer at Columbia, Matarazzo has stayed outside the USSF/MLS system.
After a career at lower-tier teams in Europe, he coached Stuttgart from 2019-22 and was hired by Hoffenheim in February 2023. He led the club to a seventh-place finish last season and a berth in the Europa League.
Allegri
Coached McKennie and Tim Weah at Juventus. He was fired in May for angry behavior during and after the Italian Cup final.
Pochettino
He left Chelsea in May after a sixth-place finish. Pochettino also has coached Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press