A dreaded investigation into what went wrong for the US at the Copa America felt almost inevitable, despite coming much sooner than anyone expected. Yet the question marks already hanging over Gregg Berhalter and the ostensible Golden Generation at his disposal have now turned into exclamation points.
Not the kind of exclamation mark that indicates excitement either. It is a warning, a sense of panic after the unmitigated disaster that has unfolded on these shores over the past six days.
Berhalter’s tenure as U.S. national team coach reached a low point Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. A disappointing performance and a 1-0 loss to Uruguay sent the team tumbling out of a home tournament that should have been the perfect springboard two years into the World Cup that’s headed our way.
The home side failed to pull off a great escape after last week’s chaotic 2-1 defeat to Panama, a result that dented the ego of a team considered the best in the country’s history and undermined the confidence of its adoring fans.
Gregg Berhalter faces major questions over his future after US’ disastrous Copa America
So, after finishing second to a team 32 spots behind them in the FIFA world rankings, and whining about a championship in their own backyard, what does the US do now?
Fan sentiment towards Berhalter had already deteriorated before this summer’s Copa America had even begun, with a 5-1 defeat to Colombia shaking the belief that he was the best candidate to lead this group of players.
The 2-0 win over Bolivia ultimately proved to be a false start. The subsequent debacle in Panama left the US reeling and needing a surprise win over a well-oiled Uruguay to hold on.
A number of fans flocked to Arrowhead for this fateful date with their minds firmly set on Berhalter, and signaled their opposition to his regime with condemnatory T-shirts and signs in the crowd. Even if the miracle were to happen and he were to turn this around, even if he were to drag them through to the knockout stage at the last minute, they had seen enough to conclude that he was not the man for the job.
Monday’s narrow loss, as Berhalter and several of his players have pointed out, was not the point at which they lost their grip on this tournament. It was certainly not good enough, with a bright opening 20 minutes that ultimately devolved into complete mediocrity, but the damage done against Panama was ultimately irreversible. And for Berhalter, that misstep must surely be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
In a tournament on home soil, the USMNT fizzled out in a favorable group
Christian Pulisic and Co have left after two consecutive defeats in the group stage
Monday’s loss to Uruguay must undoubtedly be the final nail in the coffin for Berhalter
If the U.S. wants to avoid a similar humiliation when soccer’s biggest festival arrives in 2026, trusting the current coaching setup cannot be the answer. This was Berhalter’s audition for the World Cup, and he has failed miserably. There are few, if any, positives he, his team, or the fans can take from what has unfolded here this summer.
New leadership and fresh ideas are needed to breathe some life into a squad with enough talent to get out of a group containing Panama and Bolivia. Yes, it is debatable whether it is as talented as its Golden Generation tag suggests. But there is no debating whether it outweighs the team that reached the quarter-finals at their expense.
With three promising options up front in Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun, and the likes of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah in midfield, there is a strong foundation for any potential new coach to work with.
Defensively, Berhalter has been able to lean on Premier League and Bundesliga talents like Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson and Joe Scally. Tim Ream may need replacing at 36, but the point is that this is a USA squad that is way underperforming.
After Monday’s bitter group stage exit, Berhalter was asked if he thought the team had made progress in the past nine months. “Yes, I think so, in many ways,” he said. “Defensively we are a very good team, most games we have a higher expected goal score than the opponent, we create chances, we move the ball well.
“I think it’s about wanting to move the team forward, and that’s what we did.”
The American coach claims he is still on the right track, but it is difficult to take those words seriously
As if being grouped by Panama wasn’t discouraging enough, Berhalter’s claim that he was on the right track is perhaps the most telling sign that something needs to change.
While it may have been unwise to dump a group of young players with an average age of 25 years and 255 days after such a colossal failure, it is inconceivable that the US leader would continue to defend his work after such a complete failure.
Whether it’s a new American coach or a foreign name, the U.S. men’s soccer team is crying out for a new vision and a breath of fresh air as a dark cloud hangs over the upcoming World Cup.
Maintaining confidence in a regime that collapsed this summer at the slightest setback is asking for trouble in 2026.