In soccer, it’s often believed that players hold little sway over the fate of a team’s coach. Yet, recent reports surrounding AC Milan star Christian Pulisic suggest otherwise. Rumors have surfaced that players played a role in forcing Gregg Berhalter’s rehiring following the USMNT’s disappointing group-stage exit in the Copa America. Amid these swirling allegations, Captain America has spoken about these crazy reports.

Gregg Berhalter’s tenure as head coach of the USMNT has been a tale of highs and lows. With a record of 17 losses, 44 wins, and 13 draws in his second stint, he led the team with determination but faced scrutiny over his ability to guide the squad toward success in the 2026 World Cup. The early Copa America exit dealt a major blow, leaving fans and USSF questioning whether his strategies were enough to match the team’s future aspirations.

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of the US Men’s National Team? Well, Captain America himself spilled some tea in a recent sit-down with GQ. Here’s the juicy part: Pulisic was asked about Berhalter being forced rehired by the players. Now, Pulisic didn’t exactly dodge the question. In fact, he offered some interesting insight into this crazy report. “Yeah, I mean, that was a really tough situation. Is it the player’s decision to bring a coach back? No, no, not at all. So that’s why it’s kind of a crazy thing to say.”

Don’t you agree that players are the best ones to react to the coach role? Similarly, reflecting on Gregg Berhalter’s second stint, Pulisic admitted things didn’t pan out as everyone had hoped. But hey, he reminded us—it was never up to them to begin with.“Things going forward obviously didn’t work out how we wanted, and now we have a new coach. It’s all part of the process, but like I said, it was never mine, or any one player’s decision to bring a coach back. That’s just not how it works.”

Gregg Berhalter’s time with the USMNT was a rollercoaster ride, wasn’t it? Like that unforgettable opener at the 2024 Copa America, where Christian Pulisic’s goal and assist in the 2-0 win against Bolivia was just like a chef’s kiss. But oh boy, things went south pretty fast after that. The team stumbled in their next two games, losing 2-1 to Panama (seriously, Panama?) and 1-0 to Uruguay. End result? USMNT got knocked out, and not surprisingly, Berhalter got fired just nine days later.

However, did you know Berhalter’s shot coming was predicted by a former USMNT player much before Copa America?

EX-USMNT star who predicted Gregg Berhalter’s coaching could be a red flag

If you go back in time to months before Gregg Berhalter’s controversial exit as the USMNT head coach, doubts about his ability to lead the team were already brewing. Back in a CONCACAF Nations League semi-final match against Jamaica, the US secured a 3-1 win to book their spot in the final. Yet, despite the victory, the performance left fans and analysts uneasy. Among the most vocal critics was former USMNT star Herculez Gomez, who didn’t hold back during his segment on Futbol Americas.

He then criticized Gregg Berhalter’s suitability as the USMNT coach, suggesting that he narrowly avoided severe backlash “I don’t think I feel too much differently today after this game as I did before it. Gregg Berhalter may be a good coach at a certain level. He’s not the coach for the US Men’s National team at this level, not the coach to lead the US Men’s National team to the World Cup in 2026.”

What’s your take? While current USMNT players, including Christian Pulisic, have denied having any influence on Berhalter’s rehiring. So, what exactly led to a new coach coming in?