The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced the dismissal of head coach Gregg Berhalter following a disappointing performance in the ongoing Copa America tournament.
As the host team in Group C, the United States lost two of their three matches against Panama and Uruguay, failing to advance to the knockout phase for the first time in their five appearances in the tournament.
After a 10-day review, Matt Crocker, the U.S. Soccer sporting director, made the decision to relieve Berhalter of his duties. The decision was made in consultation with Cindy Parlow Cone, U.S. Soccer President, CEO J.T. Batson, Vice President of Sporting Oguchi Onyewu, and members of the board of directors.
In a statement, Cone expressed gratitude for Berhalter's dedication, saying, \"I want to thank Gregg for his hard work and dedication to U.S. 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.\"
Berhalter acknowledged the team's performance, stating, \"The Copa America result is extremely disappointing and I take full responsibility for our performance. 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.\"
Berhalter has led the U.S. Men's National Team during two separate periods between December 2018 and July 2024, amassing 44 wins in 74 games. Under his leadership, the team reached the round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022 but was eliminated by the Netherlands.
Looking ahead, the United States will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, aiming to build on past performances and achieve new heights in the tournament.
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USA coach Gregg Berhalter fired after early Copa America exit
cgtn.com
