The head coach of the United States men’s team, Greg Berhalter, has revealed that his future with the team is unclear.
The Americans were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup by the Netherlands on Saturday. Although the final score doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story, the USMNT fell 3-1 that night.
After the game, Berhalter made some interesting comments about his status as head coach. ESPN correspondent Sam Borden said the American coach will need time to think about his future. “In the next two weeks, I’m going to sit down and clear my mind and think about what’s next,” Berhalter stated.
However, the decision is not entirely up to the head coach. USMNT member Tom Bogert also revealed that Berhalter’s current contract ends at the conclusion of the World Cup.
Along with the boss, the rest of the team’s coaching staff is also vying for a new contract.
Whether or not Berhalter deserves a new contract will certainly have to be carefully considered.
The American currently has a respectable 62% win rate during his time with the team. This includes winning 37 of his 60 total games in charge.
Positive aspects of the performances in the World Cup
The USMNT also performed quite well in the 2022 World Cup. Placed in a highly competitive group against England, Iran and Wales, the Americans were able to qualify for the knockout round.
Despite the loss against the tough Dutch team, the fans should be proud of the young USMNT team.
However, Berhalter made some very interesting decisions in recent weeks surrounding the tournament. Despite playing his role in the World Cup qualifiers, Ricardo Pepi was completely left out of the tournament list. He also made a similar decision with Zack Steffen.
Berhalter’s starting XI for the Netherlands game was also not well received. The coach ended up choosing Jesús Ferreira to lead the front row, instead of Tim Weah or Haji Wright.
USSF should be aiming for a big name for the role
Ultimately, the USMNT was one of the youngest teams in the World Cup in Qatar. They clearly have the talent to advance in the group stage, but they lacked in certain areas.
Bringing in a standout coach to lead the team to the 2026 World Cup could be exactly what the Americans need.
Photo credit: IMAGO / MexSport Agency
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