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The United States Soccer Federation has begun its search for a replacement for Gregg Berhalter, who was fired from his role as head coach of the USMNT after the team embarrassingly crashed out of the 2024 Copa America tournament in the group stage.
Early — and admittedly delusion — reports indicated that legendary Premier League manager and recently retired Liverpool icon Jurgen Klopp was the USSF’s top choice for the role. Klopp, unsurprisingly, swiftly and politely turned down the opportunity.
In recent days since Klopp burst soccer fans’ bubbles, one name mentioned as a potential candidate is former Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, who was fired by Chelsea earlier this year after just one season.
Another name reportedly in consideration, according to popular soccer scoopster Fabrizio Romano, is former Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira.
🚨🇺🇸 Patrick Vieira, one of the names under consideration for USMNT head coach job.
Nothing advanced or close at this stage but Vieira’s one of the options being discussed, not the only one.
Patrick, now free after mutually terminating contract at Strasbourg. pic.twitter.com/tCVRsIhL3x
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 18, 2024
Vieira, a 48-year-old Frenchman, began his managerial career in 2016 with New York City Football Club of Major League soccer. He then went on to manage Nice in France from 2018 to 2020 and Crystal Palace in the Premier League from 2021 to 2023.
Last season, Vieira was the manager of French side Strasbourg but departed the club “by mutual agreement.” As a manager with those four clubs, Vieira’s record is 292 games played, 111 wins, 79 draws, and 102 losses. His teams have also conced more goals than they’ve scored (389 goals for, 391 goals against).
Vieira’s club career is far more decorated than his managerial one, as he played for some of the most iconic soccer clubs in the world, including AC Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan, and Manchester City.
One of the first players to be inducted into the recently-formed Premier League Hall of Fame, Vieira, a defensive midfielder, made 279 appearances from 1996 to 2005 and won three Premier League titles and four FA cup titles during that time.
With the 2026 World Cup looming in just 24 months, the USMNT is likely eager to hire a new manager so they can begin the next two crucial years of preparation for what will likely be the most important summer in the history of soccer in this country.