US Soccer officially reinstates Gregg Berhalter as manager after long coaching search

After months of World Cup preparation, playing in Qatar, elimination at the hands of Holland, lapsing contracts, domestic violence investigations, dishonor at the hands of the Reynas, multiple millions of dollars paid in a coaching search, and half the year spent with two interim managers – Gregg Berhalter remains the head coach of the US men’s national team.

It’s the most anti-climactic ending to one of the most scandal-ridden sagas in the history of the federation – but US Soccer has confirmed that Gregg Berhalter will be reinstated as head coach.

Reports by The Athletic emerged around the time of kickoff at the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal between the USA and Mexico on Thursday night that Berhalter would be brought back into the fold as the boss of the USMNT.

B.J. Callaghan, the current interim manager of the team, will continue to coach the squad through the CONCACAF Gold Cup, US Soccer says. 

‘I want to thank [sporting director] Matt [Crocker], and the entire U.S. Soccer Federation, for the trust they’ve placed in me,’ Berhalter said in a statement. 

Gregg Berhalter has been reinstated as the head coach of the US men’s national team

‘I’m grateful to have the opportunity to build on our achievements at the World Cup and to contribute to this exciting time for soccer in our country. 

‘The entire group of players and staff have worked incredibly hard to establish our identity on and off the field. 

‘We look forward to continuing our journey together to make our fans and our nation proud.’ 

After a World Cup campaign that ended in defeat in the Round of 16 to Holland – but was widely seen as a success – Berhalter’s contract expired without a renewal offered. 

That was in part due to a scandal involving alleged domestic violence in 1992 between Berhalter and his wife Rosalind. 

An in-depth investigation into the events of that evening was prompted after US Soccer was informed by Claudio and Danielle Reyna – the parents of Gio Reyna – over anger that their son wasn’t getting top minutes at the World Cup. 

That investigation by the law firm Alston & Bird found that both Rosalind and Gregg Berhalter’s accounts were accurate and that Gregg had not committed any further violent acts.

But in the weeks following that revelation, multiple people departed US Soccer and a newly hired sporting director, Matt Crocker, jumped at the chance to interview candidates.

Matt Crocker evaluated coaching candidates through various filters and testing

‘When I started this search, my focus was on finding someone with the right vision to take this program to new heights in 2026,’ Crocker said in a statement.

‘Gregg has that vision, as well as the experience and growth mindset on and off the field to move this team forward. 

‘Appointing the right head coach for a National Team is a crucial decision that reflects U.S. Soccer’s identity and lays the foundation to grow soccer across the country for years to come. 

‘I am confident that Gregg is the right person for the job and looking forward to working in partnership with him.’

According to a statement from US Soccer, candidates in the coaching search were evaluated for multiple reasons which, ‘included building lasting relationships with staff and players, planning and effectively driving a vision-led identity, pushing innovation and boundaries, and being a decisive decision-maker. 

‘Within these categories, [Crocker] utilized advanced data analytics, sophisticated metrics, and cutting-edge hiring methods to profile and rank each candidate. 

‘During the course of several weeks, candidates were evaluated through all of these filters and went through a battery of practical and psychological testing.’

While Berhalter’s teams lacked finishing ability, they looked strong defensively and in midfield

Under Berhalter, the United States made it out of the group stage of the World Cup – their third straight knockout round appearance in the tournament.

While the team looked defensively sound and possessed the ball well, they lacked power in the final third and ended up scoring only three goals across four games.

Additionally, Berhalter’s man management throughout the tournament was under scrutiny. In the 0-0 draw against England, the coach waited until the 77th minute to make a substitution – waiting until the 83rd minute to bring on attacking players.

One of those players was Borussia Dortmund star Gio Reyna – an incredibly talented player coming off an injury, but who was fully fit for the tournament. 

It was revealed at the end of the World Cup that Berhalter had planned to keep Reyna out of the starting lineup in a diminished role.

Reyna did not take this well – failing to put up a good effort in training by his own admission. 

He ended up apologizing to his teammates – who then took a vote, choosing to keep him in Qatar by a narrow margin.

These details were revealed by Berhalter at a leadership conference in New York City in the aftermath of the World Cup. While Berhalter didn’t name the player who was the subject of the story, later reporting confirmed that Reyna was the subject.

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