Gregg Berhalter

Gregg Matthew Berhalter was born on August 1, 1973. He is an American soccer coach and a former player. Today, he is the head coach and director of football for the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer. He began this job after the 2024 season ended.

From 2018 to 2023, and again from 2023 to 2024, he was the head coach of the United States men's national soccer team. He was the first person in United States history to play in the FIFA World Cup and later become the head coach of the national team. During his time as coach, he focused on including younger players.

Berhalter first coached the national team from 2018 to 2022. After his contract ended, other coaches led the team for a short time. He returned as coach on June 16, 2023. His time with the team ended after the team did not advance far in the 2024 Copa América group stage, which they hosted. Before coaching the national team, he coached the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer and Hammarby in Sweden. He was also an assistant coach for LA Galaxy.

Playing career

Gregg Matthew Berhalter was born on August 1, 1973, in Englewood, New Jersey, and grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. He played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Berhalter began his professional career in 1994 with the Dutch club Zwolle. He later played for Sparta Rotterdam, Cambuur in the Netherlands, and Crystal Palace in England. In 2002, he joined Energie Cottbus in Germany, where he helped the team return to the top league. He then played for 1860 Munich before returning to the United States in 2009 to join Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer. He helped improve the team's defense and played a key role in their success, including winning the MLS Cup in 2011 before retiring that same year.

Berhalter first played for the U.S. national team in 1994. He participated in the 1995 Copa América and the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was part of the team at the 2002 World Cup. He was also named to the roster for the 2006 World Cup as a backup player.

Coaching career

Gregg Berhalter began his coaching career as an assistant for the Los Angeles Galaxy. In 2011, he became the head coach of a team in Sweden called Hammarby. He was the first American to coach a professional team in Europe. He was let go in 2013 because the team wanted a different style of play.

Berhalter then became the head coach and sporting director of Columbus Crew in 2013. During his time there, the team made it to the playoffs in four out of five years and reached the final of the MLS Cup in 2015, but they did not win.

In 2018, Berhalter became the head coach of the United States national team. He led the team to win two big tournaments and helped them qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He focused on using young players and building a strong team spirit. After a break, he returned as coach in 2023 to help prepare the team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States will host together with Mexico and Canada. He was not kept on after the team did not perform well in the 2024 Copa America.

In October 2024, Berhalter became the head coach and director of football for Chicago Fire, starting from the 2025 season. Under his leadership, the team returned to the playoffs after eight years without making it.

Personal life

Gregg Berhalter lives in the Lake View neighborhood of Chicago with his wife Rosalind. They met in college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where Rosalind played for the women's soccer team. They have four children together. Berhalter's son, Sebastian, plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps and the United States national team.

Coaching statistics

As of match played 16 May 2026

Coaching record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Hammarby		December 12, 2011	July 24, 2013	46	18	17	11	53	44	+9	039.13
Columbus Crew		November 6, 2013	December 2, 2018	193	74	49	70	287	282	+5	038.34
United States		December 2, 2018	December 31, 2022	60	37	12	11	118	40	+78	061.67
United States		August 1, 2023	July 10, 2024	14	7	1	6	26	16	+10	050.00
Chicago Fire		October 24, 2024	present	55	26	11	18	109	88	+21	047.27
Total				368	162	90	116	593	470	+123	044.02

Honors

Player

Los Angeles Galaxy

• Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield: (/wiki/2010_Major_League_Soccer_season), (/wiki/2011_Major_League_Soccer_season)
• Major League Soccer MLS Cup: (/wiki/2011_Major_League_Soccer_season)

Coach

United States

• CONCACAF Nations League: 2019–20, 2023–24
• CONCACAF Gold Cup: (/wiki/2021_CONCACAF_Gold_Cup)