Calls for Berhalter to step down are growing

NEW YORK — Jürgen Klopp, Thierry Henry and Marcelo Bielsa are among those being speculated about as candidates to take over from Gregg Berhalter as U.S. coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Jesse Marsch, Hugo Pérez and Pellegrino Matarazzo could be considered if Berhalter is fired or quits. Among high-level European club coaches, Massimiliano Allegri and Mauricio Pochettino also are available.

Berhalter remained as coach Tuesday, a day after the U.S. was eliminated from the Copa America in the first round with a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay. He has a contract through the 2026 tournament, which will be cohosted by the U.S., but has lost the support of a significant portion of the fan base.

“I don’t think anybody would bat an eye. Most teams and federations, it would be a fait accompli,” former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas, now Fox’s lead soccer analyst, said Tuesday. “At a time where we need to be energized and excited about the leadership going into the next two years, I think we find ourselves questioning and negative and cynical and divided, let’s be honest, relative to what can be in 2026.”

Some aren’t convinced the USSF will force out Berhalter, given the length of time it took to make decisions the last two times the job was open.

“If this were any other country, I think the decision would probably have been a lot easier, but I think they’re going to be reluctant to make any changes, at least any time soon,” said Tony Meola said, the starting goalkeeper at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.

Kasey Keller, the goalkeeper in 1998 and 2006, said a top European manager would force the U.S. to increase the salary of newly hired women’s coach Emma Hayes.

“It’s not that simple because of what the federation has done and the decisions they’ve made on how they’re going to implement budgets for the men and the women,” said Keller, now an ESPN analyst.