The fate of a talented United States squad at World Cup 2022 is in the hands of manager Gregg Berhalter.
A former defender, Gregg Berhalter spent a season at Crystal Palace in 2001/02 during his playing days, between spells in the Netherlands and Germany.
He earned 44 caps for his country and featured at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
Berhalter's management career began as an assistant at LA Galaxy, the club where he ended his playing career.
He then moved to Sweden to take on the role of head coach at second-tier Hammarby, but was eventually sacked in July 2013 after failing to get his attack firing.
“Gregg has brought order to our defensive game and has good discipline in the squad, but unfortunately we have not seen good enough dividends in the attack," said Hammarby chairman Kent Hertzell.
He returned to the States in November 2013 to become head coach and sporting director of Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew, and it was there that he made his name.
Berhalter led his side to the MLS playoffs in four of his five years in charge and reached the MLS Cup match in 2015, only to lose 2-1 to Portland Timbers.
Crew twice won the Western Conference under Berhalter’s leadership, and he was rewarded with the USA job in December 2018.
He took over in the wake of the USA’s shock failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, when a defeat to Trinidad and Tobago ensured they would miss out for the first time since 1986.
Gregg Berhalter led his side to the final of the 2019 Gold Cup, where they were beaten 1-0 by Mexico.
A host of exciting young players emerged to perform at a high level in Europe, such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Giovanni Reyna, and the youthful side won the CONCACAF Nations League in 2020 before reclaiming the Gold Cup in 2021.
Berhalter’s impressive run continued when a 1-0 friendly win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in December 2021 broke the record for the most wins in a calendar year for the USA national team at 17.
With Gregg Berhalter as manager, USA qualified for World Cup 2022 by finishing third in the CONCACAF qualifying group, edging ahead of Costa Rica in the play-off spot on goal difference.
USA will face England, Wales and Iran in Group B in Qatar, and Berhalter will have an array of talent to select for his USA World Cup squad.
