Gregg Berhalter, former USMNT manager, shared his personal challenges after losing his job this summer. Now, he talks about starting fresh as Head Coach and Director of Football at Chicago Fire. He considers after being fired from the U.S. team one of his life’s lowest points.

For Berhalter, things were not getting any better this summer as the USMNT got knocked out of the tournament in the group stage at Copa America. It was, of course, a bitter disappointment to the well-regarded team. Gregg Berhalter quoted how devastating it was emotionally for him. “You wake up the next day, yes, and feel quite awful. It’s not good for your self-esteem,” said Berhalter to ESPN. 

The Copa America was painful but served as a wake-up call for Berhalter, who responsibly took responsibility for his team’s performance. “We didn’t perform well, and at this level, there are consequences,” he said. Yet, despite the suffering, Berhalter took time to heal and reflect with his family.

“For me, it was really about being with my family in those moments and giving myself the time and the freedom and the space to feel sad and feel bad. We didn’t perform well in Copa América and when you don’t perform well at a high level there’s consequences, and I take full responsibility for that. But it still hurts,” mentioned Berhalter.

Once Gregg Berhalter processed the loss, his natural coaching instincts kicked back in. “Once you get through the sadness, you become motivated again. You get hungry for the next opportunity,” Gregg Berhalter revealed.

And when it came to choosing that next opportunity, Chicago Fire was at the top of his list. Their owner, Joe Mansueto and Berhalter, shared the same vision of the club. Chicago was this “sleeping giant” waiting to be awakened to big greatness on and off the field.

Building Chicago Fire’s future remains Gregg Berhalter’s top priority

Chicago Fire offered Gregg Berhalter a unique chance, one that’s never been seen before. He’s optimistic that he can turn the struggling team around, which has failed to qualify for the MLS playoffs for seven seasons in a row. The Chicago Fire needs a major upheaval, and Berhalter knows that very well. Designing a new training complex and perhaps, a soccer-specific stadium which is promoted by Mansueto, will also be among the projects under his management.

“The club needs a home that reflects its ambitions,” Mansueto said during the introduction, revealing that they were scouting locations for the stadium in Chicago. While the plans for the stadium are still very basic, Gregg Berhalter will exercise direct control over the team’s performance right away, rebuild the squad, and forge a culture that can finally end their seven-year loss.

The Chicago Fire needed someone with credentials in place quickly as preseason looms large for the 2025 season. That is almost upon the Fire and is what Mansueto stressed. “We wanted to get someone in as quickly as possible.”

He praised the experience Gregg Berhalter received after managing Columbus Crew. Although his time with the USMNT ended in heartbreak, Berhalter has turned that pain into fuel for what he hopes will be an exciting new era at Chicago Fire.