DPA
Los Angeles
#BerhalterOut was a top trending topic on social media after Gregg Berhalter’s United States were knocked out of the group stage of their home Copa America after a 1-0 loss to Uruguay.
US fans wondered if Mathías Olivera’s winner on 66 minutes might have been offside despite a long video review, but most of the ire was directed at Berhalter, whose side finished third in the group below Panama as the Central Americans reached their first-ever quarters.
Supporters have long been upset with the coach’s tactics since he returned to the job in June last year. He initially took over in 2018 but his contract was allowed to elapse in 2022 while US Soccer investigated allegations he had assaulted his wife in 1992.
Now they have gone out of their home tournament, having also lost to Panama. What irked fans the most was the coach apparently signalling to his players that the other group game between Bolivia and Panama was 1-1 - a result which would have put the US through with a draw.
Soon after, Uruguay scored and Panama went on to win 3-1.
With a World Cup on home soil in two years, social media was full of US supporters saying a change in coach has to be made.
Even pundits and ex-players said it was the end of the road for Berhalter.
Alexei Lalas told Fox Sports: “This is not good enough from Gregg Berhalter ... We can’t afford to be embarrassed, and we can’t afford to arrive in the summer of 2026 with a team that has not progressed, that has not evolved, and has not improved.”
