The USMNT suffered a miserable Copa America campaign which saw them getting eliminated in the group stages of the tournament. This has put Gregg Berhalter’s position as head coach of USMNT in a major doubt.
Let us take a look at 5 possible replacements for Gregg Berhalter as the head coach of USMNT.
1. Patrick Vieira
Patrick Viera is the current head coach of Ligue 1 club Strasbourg. He has coached the MLS side NYCFC for over two years and is one of the leading candidates for the USMNT head coach’s role. He has also coached Nice and Crystal Palace in his managerial career.
The former Arsenal player is also more affordable than other managers in the market, reportedly earning $3 million a season with Strasbourg.
2. Wilfried Nancy
Regarded as one of the best managers of MLS, Nancy is another emerging candidate for the role. Nancy guided Columbus to an MLS Cup win in his very first season at the club. In his second season, he reached the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
He also coached Montreal FC in the 2021-22 season where he made a name for himself for his attractive playing style.
3. Steve Cherundolo
Steve Cherundolo is a well-known name in the USA due to his exceptional work at LAFC. He lifted both the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in 2022 with LAFC and led his side to the MLS Cup final the following year.
LAFC are leading the Western Conference points table again this season and are major contenders to lift the cup again. He has also gained experience in European football, working with Hannover’s youth system before coming back to North America.
4. Marko Mitrovic
Marko Mitrović will coach the U.S. Under-23 men’s team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He served as an assistant coach to Veljko Paunović at Chicago Fire for 4 years. During his time at Fire, he worked with household names like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Nicolás Gaitán, and Aleksandar Katai.
A strong showing by his side at the Paris Olympics will definitely make his case to be the next head coach of the USMNT.
5. Pellegrino Matarazzo
Pellegrino Matarazzo is the current head coach of Hoffenheim and guided them to a UEFA Europa League qualification this season. Despite not having coached in America at the National or club level, Matarazzo has shown interest in coaching the USMNT.
Matarazzo seems to be a sensible choice for the job role given his experience at the highest level and with a number of American national players playing their club football in Germany, he can definitely make a mark if he does end up given the opportunity.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
