The United States Soccer Federation has decided to part ways with coach Gregg Berhalter following the U.S. men's national team's disappointing performance at the Copa America on home soil.
The team finished third in their group, with Uruguay and Panama advancing to the knockout stages, and with just two years until the United States co-hosts the World Cup, the team decided to make a change.
Going deeper
The USMNT had doubts before their Copa America exit. Now the doubts are even bigger.
As the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) seeks to name a replacement for Berhalter, there are a number of high-profile foreign managers on the market, most notably Jurgen Klopp, who left Liverpool this summer.
“We think we're now in a position to have a more targeted search, to look earlier and more aggressively for specific candidates that we think meet the criteria that we're looking for,” U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director Matt Crocker said.
When asked if being able to speak English is still a requirement for the position, Crocker responded: “I think effective communication is key to getting the message out to the players. That hasn't changed. We'll be looking at a really broad range of candidates. I'm already working on that. We're going to continue that process.”
Here are some potential replacements for Berhalter and the style of soccer they might bring to the U.S. Men's National Team: Who would you like to see take over?
Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp favours a high defensive line and a high press designed to win the ball back as quickly as possible when it is lost. AthleticThe playstyle wheel can be found below. Outline how the team will perform compared to Europe's top seven domestic leagues.
It's a high-risk, high-reward strategy – always playing up front and looking to take control – and cautiousness is not in the 57-year-old's vocabulary. As you can see from his Patient Attacking indicator below (23 out of 99), Klopp likes to attack and hurt his opponents as quickly as possible.
Klopp will bring a breath of fresh air both tactically and in terms of talent management, and he has already proven his ability to get the most out of talent in all areas whilst fostering unity and cohesion.
The makeup of the US squad may also be appealing to him. Take, for example, the ferocious attack that has garnered so much praise at Anfield. Klopp's Liverpool are at their best with an energetic, hard-running front three, and an attacking line-up that includes Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi could, at least in theory, be appealing to the German coach.
All of these players, and in fact most of the US national team's key players, play in Europe, so Klopp should be familiar with the tactical systems used in European leagues and clubs.
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate has overseen a transformation of England's reputation since taking over as national manager in 2016.
Fans may be frustrated by Southgate's lack of tactical ingenuity despite his talented squad, but the 53-year-old has also shown his ruthless nature in recent months, most notably by omitting the experienced Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford from his lengthy 33-man squad for the Euros.
(Carl Lesine/Getty Images)
Southgate has favoured a back four in recent years but has also shown the flexibility to adapt to a three-man defence as a counterweight to opposition formations, as shown in England's wins against Switzerland and the Netherlands in reaching the Euro 2024 final.
International football is tactically and qualitatively different to club football, meaning the role is more focused on the long-term vision for the national team than day-to-day coaching, and while Southgate has sometimes been criticised for his tactical acumen, his ambassadorial presence is a valuable asset that should not be underestimated at international level.
There will also be no lack of willingness to take risks with talented but inexperienced players. 19-year-old Kobe Mainu and 20-year-old Adam Wharton were included in the current team based on the adage good enough, old enough, but an American like 20-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Gaga Slonina might feel more likely to make the World Cup, as might Manchester City-bound 14-year-old phenom Cavan Sullivan, who will be the same age as Spain's Lamine Yamal by the time the 2026 tournament rolls around.
Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino's preferred style is based on high intensity and pressing, and Chelsea's numbers from last season showed they were a team that did not let up on their attacking play even when they did not have the ball (Intensity: 89 out of 99).
Problems in both penalty boxes have been a key narrative for Chelsea this season under Pochettino. While underlying chance creation (83 from 99) has been strong, it has seemed to come at the expense of a terribly poor defensive record (chances denied: 32 from 99). Chelsea's expected non-penalty goals conceded per 90 minutes of 1.4 is bound to be a challenge on a game-by-game basis, and Pochettino struggled to find that balance for much of the season.
That may not sound too appealing, but international football relies on having a strong defensive foundation first and foremost, and Pochettino has not demonstrated this in his most recent managerial appointments.
These shortcomings will naturally put even more focus on the individual quality of the backline and goalkeeper, areas where the current U.S. squad has problems. Goalkeeper Matt Turner barely played for Nottingham Forest last season and had questionable kicking and distribution at times in the Copa America. Behind him, Ethan Holbert's quality declined again, allowing a terrible goal against Panama when he was forced to play after Turner was injured.
They also lack a clear replacement for ageing centre-back Tim Ream and there are doubts about the depth behind him and Chris Richards. At Chelsea, Pochettino had arguably better defenders but still struggled.
Thomas Tuchel
It's been a disappointing season by Bayern Munich standards, but the underlying numbers for Tuchel's side show just how dominant they still were in front of both goals. Playing against a historic, unbeatable Bayer Leverkusen was not in the plans, but Bayern's xG differential of 1.6 per 90 minutes (which takes into account the quality of chances created and goals conceded) was better than any other team in Europe's top five leagues.
Tuchel's tactical acumen is undeniable, but question marks over his temperament may work against him. In his last three roles at Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, his average tenure was one year, nine months and 15 days combined. International football is different, of course, but if the USMNT are looking for a long-term vision, Tuchel may not be the best man. However, he is available, having left Bayern and met with Manchester United earlier this summer.
Tuchel celebrates winning the Champions League with Chelsea in May 2021 (Mark Atkins/Getty Images)
There may also be the thorny question of how Pulisic will respond to Tuchel's appointment as manager – the pair worked together at Stamford Bridge but it has emerged their relationship was strained at times, with the US captain admitting he was “stunned” to be left out of the 2021 Champions League semi-finals.
Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank, 50, will bring a clear tactical philosophy. His 5-3-2 formation is combative, disciplined and a nightmare for opponents to play against. Over the past three seasons, only Brighton have managed a better record than Brentford's 35 points against the 'big six' in the Premier League, with the west London team beating Manchester City twice, Chelsea three times and beating Manchester United 4-0.
Similarly, his ability to vary his team to a 4-3-3 throughout the season shows tactical versatility well suited to international football, where maximizing the strengths of the available players is paramount.
“The fact that Frank has led Brentford to promotion to the Premier League for the first time and has now maintained that position for three consecutive seasons speaks volumes of the transformative job he has done. He is an experienced coach and a great motivator with a long history of success.
He also said he's open to the possibility, which would be an exciting new possibility for the affable Dane, whose likeability and morale-boosting abilities would be welcomed by U.S. players, especially those like Gio Reyna who have clashed with Berhalter in the past.
(Eddie Keough/Getty Images)
Ralf Rangnick
You know what you're getting in a team led by the godfather of gegenpressing, Ralf Rangnick. His high-energy, relentless approach has been an inspiration to many coaches who have worked with him. When asked about his playing philosophy in a recent interview with The Coaches' Voice, the German replied, “High-pressing, counter-pressing football. It's fast, aggressive, aggressive, counter-attacking, counter-pressing, exciting.”
Anyone doubting Rangnick's ability to implement such a method at international level need only look at Austria's non-possession approach at Euro 2024 this summer. Austria's passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA) was 10.1 – a lower number is an indicator of a more active pressing approach – indicating that Austria pressed harder than any other team at the tournament.
When in possession, Rangnick believes in possession with purpose, passing forward when possible and avoiding slow-moving sideways or backward passes. Fans of Jesse Marsch's New York Red Bulls will be familiar with this style, and Marsch is a passionate supporter of Rangnick's attacking approach.
The U.S. has players like Pulisic and, at their best, Reyna, who are capable of making things happen but also have the athleticism to apply the intense pressure that Rangnick does.
The 66-year-old has international management experience having led Austria for two years.
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira's RC Strasbourg finished 13th in Ligue 1 last season but the 48-year-old recently revealed his lofty goals for the future.
The Vieira was unveiled in Strasbourg in July 2023 (Frédéric Florin/AFP via Getty Images)
“The goal is to play in European football in the next three years,” Vieira told the “Stick to Football” podcast. “Obviously, we have a big influx of young players coming in from this year and it's been a challenging, difficult year. We've struggled and we've gone through difficult times.”
Vieira favours a measured, possession-based style of football that few players are capable of executing, and at Crystal Palace he was forced to compromise that plan for an attritional, counter-attacking strategy that led to him being sacked after a 12-game winless run.
Strasbourg's style of play has looked similarly disorganized, with Vieira urging his team to circulate the ball when they have it (82/99), even if those opportunities are rare (possession, 17/99), yet his team often lacked attacking prowess at the top of the field (chances created, 41/99).
Vieira's experience coaching NYCFC in MLS will be a useful start to his acclimation to US soccer, but his more recent roles suggest he is still a developing manager compared to some of the other candidates on this list.
The current squad is loaded with talent in his old position, central midfield. Young prospects like Real Betis' Jonny Cardoso and Malik Tillman will have the opportunity to learn from one of the best players ever to play in that position. At the same time, the experienced trio of Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah will have a manager who knows exactly what it's like to play for Italy's two biggest clubs, AC Milan and Juventus. The USMNT has tried great players as managers before (see Jurgen Klinsmann) to varying degrees of effectiveness, but Vieira's résumé ranks among the best.
It could also be beneficial if a World Cup winner takes charge at the next World Cup.
(Top photo: Getty Images)
