After the U.S. males’s nationwide soccer workforce didn’t get out of the group stage at Copa America regardless of a positive draw and home-pitch benefit, the US Soccer Federation vowed to conduct a assessment of the outcomes.
The primary focus of that examination seemingly will likely be coach Gregg Berhalter, already a lightning rod with the workforce’s fanbase even earlier than the U.S. misplaced two of its three Copa America matches and completed third in Group C.
The U.S. fell 1-0 to Uruguay in Kansas Metropolis, Mo., on Monday, 4 days after dropping 2-1 to Panama in Atlanta. The one victory for the Eleventh-ranked People got here within the event opener towards 84th-ranked Bolivia. Panama, which completed second within the group after defeating Bolivia 3-1 on Monday, is ranked forty third. Uruguay, which swept its three matches, is rated 14th.
U.S. Soccer wrote in an announcement late Monday night time, “Our event efficiency fell in need of our expectations. We should do higher.
“We will likely be conducting a complete assessment of our efficiency in Copa America and the way finest to enhance the workforce and outcomes as we glance in direction of the 2026 World Cup.”
Berhalter was requested straight after the Uruguay defeat whether or not he felt he’s the suitable individual to guide the U.S. squad into the 2026 World Cup, which it is going to co-host. He replied, “Sure.”
Berhalter added, “We all know we’re able to extra, and on this event, we did not present it, it is actually so simple as that.
“You have a look at the stage that was set with the followers on this event, with the excessive stage of competitors on this event, and we should always have completed higher. We’ll do a assessment and determine what went incorrect and why it went incorrect, however it’s an empty feeling proper now, for positive.”
Whereas the U.S. workforce underneath Berhalter has dominated conventional rival Mexico in CONCACAF competitors, the coach’s leads to main tournaments have been mediocre.
Berhalter, 50, first obtained the job in December 2018 following a prolonged search that got here after the U.S. didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
The squad superior out of its group on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, recording attracts towards Wales and closely favored England earlier than edging Iran 1-0. The Netherlands beat Berhalter’s facet 3-1 within the Spherical of 16.
Within the aftermath of the Qatar event, Berhalter was dragged right into a public spat with participant Gio Reyna and his household. The midfielder’s mother and father accused Berhalter of committing home abuse many years earlier. In the meantime, Berhalter’s contract with U.S. Soccer expired, and the federation went by way of two interim coaches in 2023 earlier than in the end rehiring Berhalter.
The continued Copa America was the U.S. workforce’s final main take a look at earlier than 2026. The US, Mexico and Canada may have no qualifying matches forward of the following World Cup, as all obtained computerized berths as co-hosts.
Midfielder Weston McKennie advised The Athletic relating to Berhalter, “I imagine all of us have a consolation with Gregg and all of us perceive him and we have had him for a very long time. He is progressed the workforce very removed from the place we began off 4 or 5 years in the past.
“I feel the connection that we now have with him is what’s necessary, in having a coach that gamers … would run by way of a brick wall for him, gamers that take heed to him. And so I feel no matter occurs, occurs, however I feel if he is the coach, we’re all completely satisfied, stand up, mud off, be taught and preserve transferring ahead. That is the one factor you are able to do now.”
–Area Degree Media