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Who should USMNT hire to replace Berhalter? Analysing Klopp, Pochettino, Vieira and others
U.S Soccer has taken the decision to part ways with Gregg Berhalter after the United States men’s national team’s disappointing showing at the Copa America on home soil.
The team finished third in their group, with Uruguay and Panama advancing to the knockout stage. With only two years to go until the U.S. co-hosts the World Cup, they have decided to make a change.
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USMNT had questions before its Copa America exit. Now those get even louder
There are plenty of high-profile foreign managers on the market — not least Jurgen Klopp after he left Liverpool this summer — as the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) looks to appoint Berhalter’s successor.
“I think now we’re in a better place to have much more of a targeted search where I’ll be more inclined to go hard and go early with specific candidates that I feel meet the criteria that we’re looking for,” said U.S. Soccer’s sporting director Matt Crocker.
Asked if speaking English was still a criteria for the position, Crocker said: “I think effective communication is critical when you need to get a message across to the players. That hasn’t changed. And we’ll be considering a really wide pool of candidates. I’m already on that straightaway. Our intention is to continue with that process.”
Here are some of the possible candidates to replace Berhalter, and the style of football they might bring to the USMNT set-up. Who would you like to see take over?
Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp favours a high defensive line and a high press designed to win the ball back at the earliest opportunity when possession is lost — as shown by The Athletic’s playstyle wheel below, which outlines how a team look to play compared with Europe’s top seven domestic leagues.
It’s high risk, high reward — always playing on the front foot, always trying to seize the initiative. Caution is not a word in the 57-year-old’s vocabulary. Looking at their “Patient attack” metric below (23 out of 99), it’s clear Klopp likes his side to go for the throat and punish the opposition as soon as possible.
Klopp would be a breath of fresh air tactically and man-management wise, he’s already proven he can get the best out of talent across the board — fostering a sense of unity and togetherness.
The USMNT’s roster could appeal to him too. Take, for example, the blistering attack which won so many plaudits at Anfield. Klopp’s Liverpool were at their best with a high-energy, hard-running front three, and attackers such as Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi could, in theory at least, be appealing to the German.
With all those players, and indeed most of the USMNT’s main men, playing in Europe, Klopp would also be familiar with their leagues and the tactical systems they operate under at clubs.
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate has overseen a transformation of England’s reputation since he took the role as national team manager in 2016.
While fans might have grown frustrated by Southgate’s lack of tactical invention with such a talented squad of players, the 53-year-old has shown a ruthlessness to his character in recent months — most notably leaving the experienced Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford from his long list of 33 players for the European Championship.
(Carl Recine/Getty Images)
While Southgate has favoured a back four system in recent years, he has shown flexibility in adapting to a back three — often as a counter-measure to the opposition setup, as shown in England’s matches against Switzerland and Netherlands as they reached the Euro 2024 final.
International football is tactically and qualitatively different from club football, meaning the remit is less about the day-to-day coaching and more about the long-term vision of the national team. Southgate may have been criticised for his tactical acumen at times, but his near-ambassadorial presence is a valuable asset that should not be underestimated at international level.
Neither should his willingness to take qualified risks with gifted but inexperienced players. Kobbie Mainoo, 19, and Adam Wharton, 20, were included in his current squad on the adage that they were good enough and so old enough, and Americans such as the 20-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Gaga Slonina might feel their prospects of a World Cup spot increase. So too may 14-year-old Manchester City-bound prodigy Cavan Sullivan, who will be the same age as Spain’s Lamine Yamal is now when the 2026 tournament begins.
Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred style is grounded in high intensity and pressing, and Chelsea’s numbers for last season point to a side that did not step off when out of possession (intensity: 89 out of 99).
Issues in both penalty boxes were a key narrative of Chelsea’s season under Pochettino. Their underlying chance creation (83 out of 99) was strong, but it seemed to come at the expense of a dreadfully poor defensive record (chance prevention: 32 out of 99). Chelsea’s 1.4 non-penalty expected goals conceded per 90 minutes invariably gave them a mountain to climb in each match, and Pochettino struggled to find that balance for a lot of the season.
As unglamorous as it may sound, international football is grounded in having strong defensive foundations first and Pochettino did not showcase that in his most recent time in the dugout.
Such shortcomings would naturally put more focus on the individual quality of the back line and goalkeeper; areas where the current U.S. roster has its problems. Goalkeeper Matt Turner barely played for Nottingham Forest last season and his kicking and distribution were at times questionable at the Copa America. Behind him, Ethan Horvath is a step down in quality again and conceded a poor goal when forced into action after Turner’s injury against Panama.
Then there is a shortage of obvious candidates to replace ageing centre-back Tim Ream and doubts over the strength in depth behind him and Chris Richards. At Chelsea, Pochettino arguably had better defenders and they still struggled.
Thomas Tuchel
Despite a disappointing season relative to Bayern Munich’s standards, the underlying numbers from Tuchel’s side show how dominant they have still been in both boxes. Competing with a history-making, invincible Bayer Leverkusen side was not part of the plan, but Bayern’s 1.6 xG difference per 90 — which accounts for the quality of chances created and conceded — was the best of any side across Europe’s top five leagues.
Tuchel’s tactical acumen is undeniable, but question marks over his temperament might be a factor that works against him. Across his three most recent roles at Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, he averaged a tenure of one year, nine months and 15 days. International football is different, of course, but if the USMNT is looking for a long-term vision, Tuchel might not be the best man. He is, however, available after leaving Bayern and meeting Manchester United earlier this summer.
Tuchel celebrates winning the Champions League with Chelsea in May 2021 (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
There may also be the thorny issue of what Pulisic would make of a Tuchel appointment. The pair worked together at Stamford Bridge and it became clear it was, at times, a strained relationship, with the U.S. captain admitting he was “dumbfounded” at being dropped for a Champions League semi-final in 2021.
Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank, 50, would bring a clear tactical philosophy. His 5-3-2 formation is combative, disciplined, and a nightmare to play against. In the past three seasons, only Brighton have taken more than Brentford’s 35 points against the ‘Big Six’ in the Premier League, with the west London side securing two wins over Manchester City, three over Chelsea, and a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United.
Equally, his ability to shift his side to a 4-3-3 across the season shows a tactical versatility that would be highly suited to international football, where maximising the strengths of the players at your disposal is paramount.
The fact that Frank has overseen Brentford’s rise into the Premier League for the first time and has now kept them there for three consecutive seasons speaks to the transformative job he has performed. He is an experienced coach and a good motivator boasting long-term success.
He has also spoken of being open to possibilities and this would represent an exciting new one for the personable Dane. His likability and ability to build morale could be welcomed by the U.S. players — especially those, like Gio Reyna, who have at times clashed with Berhalter.
(Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Ralf Rangnick
As the Godfather of gegenpressing, you know what you are going to get with a Ralf Rangnick team. His high-energy, relentless approach has inspired so many coaches who have worked with him, and when asked to describe his playing philosophy during a recent interview for The Coaches’ Voice, the German said, “It’s a high-pressing, counter-pressing football. I would say fast, proactive, attacking, counter-attacking, counter-pressing and exciting.”
Anyone doubting Rangnick’s ability to instil such methods at international level need only to look at Austria’s out-of-possession approach during Euro 2024 this summer. Their 10.1 passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA) — a metric where a lower number denotes a more active pressing approach — shows them to be the most intense pressers of any side in the tournament.
In possession, Rangnick is a believer in possession with a purpose. Where possible, look to pass it forward, and limit those square or backward passes that slow the game down. Fans of New York Red Bulls under Jesse Marsch will be highly familiar with this style, with Marsch a staunch advocate of Rangnick’s gung-ho method of attack.
The U.S. have individuals, such as Pulisic and, at his best, Reyna, who can make things happen while also being athletic enough to press hard in the Rangnick style.
The 66-year-old has experience in international management, having been in charge of Austria for two years.
Patrick Vieira
While Patrick Vieira’s RC Strasbourg finished 13th in Ligue 1 last season, the 48-year-old recently shared his lofty targets for the future.
Vieira was unveiled at Strasbourg in July 2023 (Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images)
“The ambition is to play European football in the next three years,” Vieira said on the Stick to Football podcast. “Of course, coming from this year, there is a big turn of young players, and this year was challenging and difficult — we struggled and went through some difficult periods.”
Vieira favours a considered, possession-dominant style of football, but he has rarely had the players to implement it. At Crystal Palace, he had to compromise those plans for an attritional, counter-attacking approach which saw Vieira sacked after a 12-game winless run.
Strasbourg’s playing style looks similarly confused, as Vieira encourages his team to circulate the ball when they have it (82 out of 99) — even if those opportunities are rare (Possession, 17 out of 99) — but his side often lacked the bite at the top end of the field (Chance creation, 41 out of 99).
Vieira’s experience coaching NYCFC in MLS would be a useful headstart to acclimatise to U.S. soccer, but his recent roles have shown that he is still a developing manager compared with the other candidates on the list.
It is in his old position, central midfield, where the current roster is stocked with talent. Younger prospects such as Real Betis’ Johnny Cardoso and Malik Tillman could learn from one of the best-ever in that role. At the same time, the more experienced trio of Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah would have a manager who knows exactly what it is like to play in two of Italy’s biggest clubs, AC Milan and Juventus. The USMNT has tried great players as coach before (see Jurgen Klinsmann) to differing effect but Vieira’s CV is among the best.
A World Cup winner in charge for the next World Cup would have to be a potential plus.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
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The World Cup group stage can get complicated quickly.
With 48 teams participating for the first time ever, FIFA instituted new tiebreaker rules to determine the top two in each group along with the eight highest third-place finishers.
Below, FOX Sports Research has broken down what each team needs to advance, what results would send them through, and which scenarios could leave their fate hanging in the balance.
Here’s where every group stands heading into the next round of matches, and the simple scenarios for them to advance.
Note: Below scenarios are through all games played on June 25. Additionally, three points is now the minimum required for teams to advance as one of the eight third-place teams.
GROUP A SCENARIOS
- Mexico won the group and will face a third-place team from either Group C or E in the Round of 32 in Mexico City on June 30.
- South Africa finished as runner-up in the group, and will play Canada on June 28 in Los Angeles.
- South Korea finished third, and currently ranks eighth among the third-place teams.
- Czechia cannot advance to the knockout stage.
Mexico celebrates after securing the top spot in Group in the win vs. South Korea.
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GROUP B SCENARIOS
- Switzerland won the group and will play a third-place team from either Group G or J in the Round of 32 in Vancouver on July 2.
- Canada finished as runner-up in the group and will play South Africa on June 28 in Los Angeles.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third, and will play USA in the Round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara.
- Qatar cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP C SCENARIOS
- Brazil won the group and will play Japan on June 29 in Houston.
- Morocco finished as runner-up of the group and will play the Netherlands on June 29 in Monterrey.
- Scotland finished in third, and currently ranks tenth among third-place teams.
- Haiti cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP D SCENARIOS
- USA won the group, and will play Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara.
- Australia finished as runner-up of the group and will play Egypt on July 3 in Arlington.
- Paraguay finished in third, and will play Germany on June 29 in Foxborough.
- Türkiye cannot advance to the knockout stage.
Folarin Balogoun of the U.S.
GROUP E SCENARIOS
- Germany won the group and will play Paraguay on June 29 in Foxborough.
- Ivory Coast finished as runner-up of the group and will play Norway on June 30 in Arlington.
- Ecuador finished in third, and clinched a spot as a third-place team.
- Curaçao cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP F SCENARIOS
- Netherlands won the group and will play Morocco on June 29 in Monterrey.
- Japan finished as runner-up of the group and will play Brazil on June 29 in Houson.
- Sweden finished third, and will play France on June 30 in East Rutherford.
- Tunisia cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP G SCENARIOS
- Belgium won the group and will play a third-place team from Group A, I, or J on July 1 in Seattle.
- Egypt finished as runner-up of the group and will play Australia on July 3 in Arlington.
- Iran finished in third and currently ranks sixth among the third-place teams.
- New Zealand cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP H SCENARIOS
- Spain won the group and will play the runner-up of Group J on July 2 in Los Angeles.
- Cape Verde finished as runner-up of the group and will play Argentina on July 3 in Miami.
- Uruguay cannot advance to the knockout stage.
- Saudi Arabia cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP I SCENARIOS
- France won the group and will play Sweden on June 30 in East Rutherford.
- Norway finished as runner-up of the group and will play Ivory Coast on June 30 in Arlington.
- Senegal finished in third, and clinched a spot as a third-place team.
- Iraq cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP J SCENARIOS
- Argentina won the group and will face Cape Verde on July 3 in Miami.
- Austria will advance with a win or draw; in a draw, the runner-up will be decided by tiebreakers.
- Algeria will advance with a win or draw; in a draw, the runner-up will be decided by tiebreakers.
- Jordan cannot advance to the knockout stage.
Lionel Messi of Argentina.
GROUP K SCENARIOS
- Colombia has advanced.
- Colombia will win the group with a win or draw.
- Portugal will advance with a win or draw, and will win the group with a win.
- Uzbekistan can advance with a win, but it is not guaranteed.
GROUP L SCENARIOS
- England will advance with a win/draw.
- England will win the group with a win AND a Ghana draw/loss.
- Ghana will advance with a win/draw.
- Ghana will win the group with a win AND an England draw/loss.
- Panama cannot advance to the knockout stage.
SAN DIEGO — The home run that Roki Sasaki gave up to San Diego’s Ty France was more dramatic than the two walks he issued to open the inning. But it was the free passes that really hurt him.
In the Dodgers’ 7-1 loss to the Padres on Friday, Sasaki was out of the game before he could record an out in the fifth inning. He gave up only three hits but issued five walks, tying his season high, and hit a batter.
“I actually felt different than I ever felt before, mechanically,” Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo, noting that his lower body felt a little off. “So I need to go over it and see what was really happening.”
Sasaki successfully pitched around traffic for much of his outing, other than the three-run homer to France in the second inning. But the inefficiency sent his pitch count past 80 before he exited with runners on first and second in the fifth.
“I’m not going to have it every time out, so that’s something I have to improve,” Sasaki said. “And also the game plan. I was able to execute some of the pitches, but some of the pitches I couldn’t, so that’s something I have to go through before next start.”
Earlier this month, when Sasaki held the Angels scoreless through seven two-hit innings, it seemed as if he’d had a breakthrough. But in three starts since, including a seven-run dud against the Chicago White Sox two weeks ago, he has yet to pitch through the sixth inning.
“I am a little surprised, because there was such good momentum going on,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Hopefully we can get him back to throwing the way he did in May.”
The Padres’ Walker Buehler walks off after holding his old team to one run for 5-1/3 innings Friday at Petco Park.
(Derrick Tuskan / Ap Photo/derrick Tuskan)
Sasaki’s command issues Friday showed up almost immediately. After striking out Padres leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr., Sasaki walked Samad Taylor on 10 pitches. But Sasaki bounced back by inducing a double play.
The next inning, there would be no such escape. Sasaki walked both Manny Machado, whom he also battled for 10 pitches, and Gavin Sheets to open the frame. Then Xander Bogaerts’ sharp line drive to center field found leather.
France’s long fly ball to left field, however, found the seats.
Sasaki’s only clean inning, the third, was made possible by catcher Dalton Rushing’s successful challenge of a called ball four against Tatís, flipping a walk into a strikeout.
“I know that there’s confidence in there,” Roberts said. “But when you feel good and you don’t feel good mechanically and can’t execute pitches, then the results are walks, and 1-2 [count] homers, and things like that. But I do think that we can kind of tackle the mechanical things that he’s probably looking for right now.”
The Padres piled on in the eighth inning against reliever Jonathan Hernandez, as the sold-out crowd chanted “Beat L.A.!”
Mookie Betts hit a home run off former teammate Walker Buehler for his second homer in as many games. Betts seems to have come out of his offensive funk, entering Friday with a 1.061 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over the previous 11 games.
Buehler earned the win, delivering five strikeouts in 5⅓ innings.
“[Buehler] is reinventing himself,” Roberts said. “He’s throwing the kitchen sink at you. Cutter, slider, changeup, two-seamers. He doesn’t just try to bully you, and he’s finding ways to just get guys out. So yeah, he’s gonna still go up there and compete.”
The Dodgers went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and squandered a bases-loaded opportunity with one out in the sixth inning after chasing Buehler. Max Muncy popped out and Kyle Tucker, back in the lineup after exiting Monday’s game because of back spasms, flied out.
The Dodgers have built such a big lead in the division that the loss barely made a dent. The Padres, in second place, trail by eight games.
Caitlin Clark hit in throat during WNBA loose-ball scramble, sparking backlash and game suspension
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark was hit in the throat during a loose-ball scramble, sparking outrage and a one-game suspension for Alyssa Thomas. Fox News’ Garrett Tenney reports on the ‘absolutely unacceptable’ incident and the coach’s reaction. Political analyst Gianno Caldwell discusses Clark’s immense impact on WNBA viewership, including a $2.2 billion deal, and the role of gender and race in the controversy.
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Phoenix Mercury All-Star Alyssa Thomas is the latest villain to Caitlin Clark fans after punching Clark in the throat during a game on Wednesday night.
The referees missed the punch in real time, but fans and the league office did not.
A viral clip of the punch in slow motion spread across social media, pouring gasoline on the ongoing culture war surrounding Clark’s physical treatment by opposing players, which has been a controversial issue dating back to Clark’s rookie season in 2024.
And Less than 24 hours after the incident, the WNBA slapped Thomas with a one-game suspension for what was deemed a “reckless” and “non-basketball act.”
Who is the woman behind the punch?
If Thomas wasn’t in the WNBA, she says she would go pro in combat sports
In a 2019 interview with Nike PLAYlist, Thomas answered what sport she would have gone pro in if she didn’t go pro in basketball.
“Either boxing or MMA,” Thomas said.
If Thomas never went pro in any sport, she said she would have gotten into dentistry.
“Since I was a kid, I loved going to the dentist. I just was fascinated with teeth and still am. I’m passionate about that whole process of cleaning,” according to a profile on WNBA.com.
The first time Thomas stepped on a basketball court, she threw a ‘hissy fit’
Thomas was signed up to try basketball for the first time at the age of five by her mother, Tina, per the WNBA.
Thomas said she “Threw myself all down the stairs, down the hallway,” while her mom said “She just threw an absolute hissy fit.”
WNBA SUSPENDS ALYSSA THOMAS FOR ‘RECKLESSLY’ HITTING CAITLIN CLARK IN THROAT DURING SCRAMBLE
Her parents didn’t let her win a popular board game
Thomas’ parents never took it easy on her when they played “Candyland” as she was growing up.
“We weren’t the parents that were just going to let you win,” Tina said, per the WNBA.
“In life, you have to fight, and how are you going to fight if you don’t teach your kids to fight? So if she fell over, ‘get up, you’re alright,’ and if she didn’t get up, you knew something was wrong.”
It was a parenting tactic also used by the father of New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter, who famously never let Jeter win in board games or card games when he was growing up, to instill harsh competitiveness at an early age.
Thomas added that her mom was especially hard on her and helped develop her toughness.
“By no means was it easy, and it’s still not easy,” Thomas said.
Thomas plays more physically because shoulder issues hinder her shooting ability
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas scrambles to get up over Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 24, 2026. The Phoenix Mercury defeated the Indiana Fever 111-109. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Thomas currently plays basketball with torn labrums in both of her shoulders.
The injuries are so severe that she completely lacks the structural integrity to lift her arms and shoot a traditional, fluid jump shot. Instead, she is forced to use a rigid, one-handed pushing motion from her chest just to get the ball to the rim.
Because she cannot rely on outside shooting, Thomas adapted by leaning entirely into her physical frame. She drives directly into the teeth of opposing defenses, absorbing heavy contact in the paint to score closer to the basket.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark shown after falling in the lane while Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas watches the ball at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis, Indiana on June 24, 2026. (Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
That brutal, driving style requires her to initiate intense physical collisions on nearly every single possession.
Despite the mechanical limitations and constant pain, the tactical shift worked. She transformed herself into a six-time All-Star, three-time First-Team All-WNBA, an Olympic gold medalist and the undisputed triple-double queen of the WNBA.
Thomas has been the center of immense criticism this week
The throat punch on Clark ignited a fierce wave of backlash.
Indiana Fever Head Coach Stephanie White led the charge, completely unloading on Thomas and the league’s officials during her postgame press conference.
“We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren’t called,” White said, pointing directly at Thomas’s actions. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
White argued that Thomas regularly crosses the line from playing physical defense into inflicting dangerous, non-basketball contact.
“It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White continued to fume to reporters. “The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous.”
On Thursday, Fever President Kelly Krauskopf released a statement praising the decision to suspend Thomas.
“Player safety should be paramount in our league. We appreciate the WNBA’s review of last night’s incident and the action taken. Right now our focus is on Caitlin and our entire team as we prepare for Saturday,” Krauskopf wrote.
Former Minnesota Vikings captain and prominent conservative activist Jack Brewer said the punch would be considered a “hate crime” if the roles were reversed.
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“This would be considered a hate crime if it were the other way around,” Brewer told Fox News Digital.
Other critics have expressed their own outrage on social media.
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