Gregg Berhalter
Gregg Matthew Berhalter (born August 1, 1973) is an American soccer coach and former player who is currently the head coach of the United States men's national soccer team. He is the first person in United States history to participate in the FIFA World Cup as both a player and head coach. His tenure as coach has been noted for the recruitment of a younger player roster and development of a more positive team culture. He originally served in the role from 2018 to 2022; following the expiration of his contract, U.S. Soccer employed interim head coaches before rehiring him to the post on June 16, 2023. Berhalter previously coached Columbus Crew SC in Major League Soccer, Hammarby IF in Sweden, and served as an assistant coach for LA Galaxy. Playing career Early life and education Gregg Matthew Berhalter was born on August 1, 1973, in Englewood, New Jersey, and grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, and was a high school teammate of Claudio Reyna at Saint Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. He played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2002, he was ranked as one of the top 50 players in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 1993, he spent the collegiate off season playing for the Raleigh Flyers of the USISL. Berhalter is the godson of Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame baseball player Carl Yastrzemski. Professional Berhalter left UNC after his junior year, signing with Dutch club Zwolle in 1994. He later played for Sparta Rotterdam and SC Cambuur Leeuwarden in the Netherlands (later they also had U.S.-born executive Alex Pama there), and with Crystal Palace in England (where he briefly played alongside Jovan Kirovski). During his time at Crystal Palace, he scored once against Bradford City. In 2002, Berhalter signed with Energie Cottbus of the German Bundesliga. He went on to make 111 league appearances with the team, captaining them to a promotion back to the Bundesliga. In 2006, Berhalter signed with TSV 1860 Munich of the 2. Bundesliga, and was named captain of the team. He stayed there for a further two and a half years, making 73 league appearances for Die Löwen. After a 15-year career in Europe, Berhalter moved back to the United States in April 2009. He signed a contract with Major League Soccer, his first club contract in his home country. He was revealed as a Los Angeles Galaxy player on April 3, 2009. In his first season with the Galaxy, their goals against were cut in half—from 61 to 30—with Berhalter being a leader in defense while mentoring Omar Gonzalez to Rookie of the Year honors. On November 14, 2009, he scored in the 103rd minute of the scoreless Western Conference final, propelling the Galaxy to a 2–0 win over the Houston Dynamo and into the 2009 MLS Cup. It was his first goal in 28 appearances with the club. In his second season,