After USMNT firing, Berhalter leads Chicago to record season -- but not vindication, he says

2 weeks ago 3

Lizzy BecheranoOct 16, 2025, 08:33 AM ET

MIAMI -- It was a small much than a twelvemonth agone that Gregg Berhalter led the U.S. men's nationalist team to a historically disappointing Copa America run, becoming the archetypal ever host-nation of the CONMBEBOL tourney to beryllium eliminated successful the radical stage. The team's 2 losses and 1 triumph prompted the U.S. Soccer Federation to occurrence Berhalter, forcing the coach's 2nd exit from the nationalist team.

As #BerhalterOUT inundated societal media, questions astir his aboriginal successful the crippled people began. With a resume that included caput coaching stints with the USMNT, Columbus Crew and Hammarby successful Sweden, galore wondered what, if thing successful the coaching realm, was adjacent for him. And, little than 4 months aft his firing, Chicago Fire FC announced Berhalter would go the club's caller caput manager and manager of shot for the 2025 season.

It marked Berhalter's instrumentality to MLS, the league wherever helium won 2 titles arsenic a subordinate and, successful doing so, helium was undertaking the task of rebuilding a fallen franchise. The Fire had not qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs since the 2017 play and finished the 2024 run successful past spot of the Eastern Conference.

Berhalter rapidly responded to the challenge, transforming the perennial contenders for the Wooden Spoon -- the infamous, and unofficial, award for the worst wide grounds successful the MLS regular play -- to a squad that clinched a 2025 MLS playoff spot with a thrilling 5-3 triumph implicit Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi. Along the way, helium has besides acceptable a Chicago Fire grounds for distant performances.

Simultaneously, arsenic the Chicago Fire makes past nether Berhalter, the U.S. men's nationalist squad continues to conflict nether caller manager Mauricio Pochettino, having fallen abbreviated successful some the Gold Cup and the Nations League earlier this year. But Berhalter insists helium feels nary vindication successful seeing the USMNT proceed to descend portion helium reaches caller heights with Chicago.

"No, due to the fact that I ne'er thought it was me," Berhalter told ESPN. "It's ever a operation of forces. When you look astatine my record, you know, I deliberation I'm the winningest manager of each clip successful U.S. shot history. So, it's not similar I did a mediocre job.

"It was a young squad and we qualified [for the 2022 World Cup], we did good astatine the World Cup and we were building. But I besides recognize decisions and I ne'er took it personally. I ne'er needed vindication. For me, it's astir wherever I spell trying to beryllium palmy and doing my best."

And helium is doing conscionable that with the Fire.

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