In a must-win match for the U.S. men’s soccer team, hosting Copa America, the Americans fell 1-0 to Uruguay on Monday night in Kansas City. The Americans finished group play with one win and two losses, failing to advance to the eight-team knockout stage in the 16-team event. Anyone backing the USMNT at Maryland sportsbooks lost out.
It’s the first time in the nearly 50-year history of the tournament that the hosts did not make it out of group play. Much of the blame for the Americans’ demise went on manager Gregg Berhalter, with critics questioning whether the former international player is suitable to lead the team when it cohosts the World Cup in two years.
BetMaryland won’t make the call whether Berhalter stays, but that doesn’t mean we can’t put odds on his chances.
A reminder these odds are for infotainment purposes only. You will not find them at any licensed operator, such as DraftKings Maryland Sportsbook.
Will Gregg Berhalter Be USMNT Manager For 2026 World Cup?
| Will He Be Manager For 2026 World Cup? | Odds | Percentage Chance |
| Yes | +225 | 30.8% |
| No | -225 | 69.2% |
How Close Was U.S. To Advancing?
There’s a thin line between success and failure, and for the USMNT, that line was crossed thanks to a couple of plays over the past week.
Tim Weah earned a red card less than 20 minutes into the team’s game against Panama on June 27. His ejection put the U.S. down a man and, though the Americans took a brief lead, they eventually lost 2-1 to a team that’s 43rd in FIFA’s world rankings. The U.S. came in ranked 11th. The Panamanians were underdogs at Maryland sports betting apps.
On Monday, against 14th-ranked Uruguay, the Americans lost when their opponents scored in the 66th minute. Uruguay appeared to be offside on the goal, but replay failed to overturn it.
Moments before that fateful score, Berhalter was seen from the sideline relaying the Panama-Bolivia score to the team. Both games were tied at that moment, and the U.S. would have been in position to advance if those results had held because the Americans had a better goal differential than Panama. However, Panama made that moot moments later when it took the lead, which forced the U.S. to score two goals in less than a half hour.
Some questioned whether Berhalter’s sideline antics distracted his players. Even if the U.S. had make the quarterfinals, there still would have been room for critics. Berhalter’s squad scored three goals in group play, but only one of those goals came in the final halves of those three games. Even if that Uruguay goal on Monday had been canceled for being offside, a 0-0 draw would have done the Americans no good because Panama wound up beating Bolivia 3-1.
How USMNT Has Done Under Berhalter
So why have we made Berhalter a longshot for sticking around? Here are a couple reasons.
As FOX Sports noted, Berhalter, who led the U.S. to the World Cup in 2022, is winless in 10 tries (0-5-5) as the Americans’ manager against top-15 teams other than regional rival Mexico. The team’s biggest win under Berhalter was in the 2022 World Cup again Iran, then ranked No. 20.
Against top-25 squads, the USMNT under Berhalter is 2-6-7, excluding Mexico. Since the 2022 World Cup, the U.S. has not beaten a top-25 team (again excluding Mexico) in three matches.
The United States has fought to become relevant in international men’s soccer for decades (especially compared to the women’s program, which has won four World Cups and four Olympic gold medals). It has not been a smooth progression to its current standing, and it’s clear more work needs to be done to make the Americans true international contenders. It’s truly a job for a better manager than what Berhalter can offer this team.
This comes at a time when American talent may be at or near an all-time high, especially from a depth perspective. However, the early departure from Copa America could be a costly setback in preparing the USMNT for an even bigger stage two years from now.
Whether Berhalter stays on the sidelines remains to be seen. But whoever leads this squad will have a tough task at the most critical point in U.S. men’s soccer history.
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USA Today photo by Jerome Miron.
Gregg Berhalter Q&A
According to various sources, Berhalter makes roughly $1.6 million per year for his role as the manager for USA Men’s National Soccer Team. During 2022, he earned $2.29 million, including a $900,000 bonus for qualifying for the World Cup.
In June 2023, Gregg Berhalter was brought back as the manager for the USA Men’s National Soccer Team. According to US Soccer, his new contract will run through the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
