NEW YORK — Gregg Berhalter walked into an interview with the U.S. Soccer Federation in New York on Tuesday, 161 days after the governing body announced he had been replaced by an interim coach.
He spent nearly 10 hours in talks led by sporting director Matt Crocker that included psychometrics, abstract reasoning tests, discussions of strategy and reaction to pressure.
Berhalter was at Newark Liberty International Airport the following day when his phone rang.
“Matt called me, and he said, ‘You’re the guy,'” Berhalter recalled Friday after the USSF announced he had been rehired to lead the Americans through the 2026 World Cup. “It was a great feeling. You could imagine what the last six months have been like.”
Mexico’s Club América had been discussing its coaching job with the 49-year-old, who put those talks on hold to speak with the USSF.