Reports: Gregg Berhalter to return as USMNT coach

Gregg Berhalter reportedly is returning as coach of the U.S. men’s national team.

Berhalter, who led the USMNT to the round of 16 in the World Cup last November in Qatar, is in negotiations to stay on, sources told The Athletic on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Jesse Marsch, whom some expected to replace Berhalter, is out of the running. His agent, Ron Waxman, said on Twitter on Thursday night: “Jesse Marsch will not be the next #USMNT manager.” Marsch was fired by Leeds United in February.

Berhalter, 49, has led the USMNT since 2019. He coached the world’s youngest team into the 2022 World Cup, and the Americans advanced from their group with strong matches against Wales, Iran and England.

Berhalter’s future has been in question since the end of 2022, though.

Berhalter came under fire during the World Cup when he surprisingly limited the playing time of Gio Reyna, one of the squad’s most talented players. The coach later unwittingly leaked the news that Reyna was nearly sent home from Qatar for a lack of effort in training.

In December, Reyna’s parents, longtime friends of Berhalter, told U.S. Soccer about an alleged domestic violence involving Berhalter against his wife, Rosalind, when they were dating while attending the University of North Carolina in 1992. An investigation of the alleged 30-year-old incident by U.S. Soccer cleared Berhalter for a potential return as manager.

The USMNT has been led in the interim by Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan. Hudson left for a head coaching opportunity in the Middle East in May and was replaced by Callaghan, who had been an assistant for USMNT for four years.

–Field Level Media