Gregg Berhalter’s Time as USMNT Head Coach EndsGregg Berhalter’s Time as USMNT Head Coach Ends Video Details Gregg Berhalter’s time as the head coach of the United States men’s national soccer team has come to an end. USA TODAY Sports’ Safid Deen breaks down the decision and what led up to it. Reactions from Former Players The news of Jurgen Klopp’s decision not to take over as the USMNT head coach drew reactions from former players who are now soccer analysts: * Alexi Lalas: “Good. Thank you Jurgen. Don’t waste our time.” * Stu Holden: “1. You had to ask. 2. It’s nice to have that out of the way and now we can focus on high-profile candidates who are realistic and have a genuine interest in the job.” * Taylor Twellman: “Now it’s going to be really interesting where they go from there. I’m and will continue to believe that the U.S. men are going to have to think really boldly over the next 18 to 20 months, and really think big for this World Cup that’s coming right here in their backyard in ’26.” US Soccer’s Need for a Bold Hire Twellman emphasized the need for US Soccer to go bold with its next hire: * “My perspective is strictly from how do you maximize the group? And I think it’s got to be an external set of minds, a set of eyes, a set of ideals.” * “I think you need a bold, brash personality, someone who walks into the room and tells everyone they have to start with a clean slate and figure out who they want to be when they get to the World Cup.” Former Coach and Future Prospects Gregg Berhalter was fired after the USMNT failed to reach the knockout stages of the Copa America. With the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico approaching, the team needs to find a new coach quickly: * “Yes, Juergen Klopp said no. There are five or six other candidates that you absolutely have to pursue, you have to talk to them.” * “At the moment, that program is not at all in the right frame of mind to host a World Cup.”
Gregg Berhalter’s time as USMNT head coach comes to an end
USA TODAY Sports’ Safid Deen breaks down the USMNT’s decision to fire head coach Gregg Berhalter and what led up to it.
The news that Jurgen Klopp would be stepping down from the vacant coaching position of the United States men’s national soccer team was quickly met with reactions from former U.S. national soccer team players who are now soccer analysts.
Klopp, the former Dortmund and Liverpool coach, told US Soccer he wants to continue his hiatus from the sport, multiple media reports reported Thursday, leaving the program to look elsewhere to fill the job after Gregg Berhalter was fired on Wednesday.
“Good. Thank you Jurgen. Don’t waste our time,” FOX analyst Alexi Lalas posted on X.
“1. You had to ask. 2. It’s nice to have that out of the way and now we can focus on high-profile candidates who are realistic and have a genuine interest in the job,” FOX’s Stu Holden said on X.
According to Apple TV analyst Taylor Twellman, the US Soccer Federation needs to go big and bold with its next hire.
“Now it’s going to be really interesting where they go from there. I’m and will continue to believe that the U.S. men are going to have to think really boldly over the next 18 to 20 months, and really think big for this World Cup that’s coming right here in their backyard in ’26,” Twellman said. “My perspective is strictly from how do you maximize the group? And I think it’s got to be an external set of minds, a set of eyes, a set of ideals.
“I think you need a bold, brash personality, someone who walks into the room and tells everyone they have to start with a clean slate and figure out who they want to be when they get to the World Cup.”
Berhalter was fired after the USMNT failed to reach the knockout stages of this summer’s Copa America as hosts. The U.S. needs a new coach less than two years before it co-hosts the 2026 World Cup with Canada and Mexico.
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“Yes, Juergen Klopp said no. There are five or six other candidates that you absolutely have to pursue, you have to talk to them,” Twellman continued. “But you need a personality who can just walk into that room and gain the respect of the players, but who also gets the players on their toes and tries to get them back on track, and get the ship back on track.
“At the moment, that program is not at all in the right frame of mind to host a World Cup.”
