USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter was 'very close' to taking Club America job in Liga MX during uncertainty between U.S. stints last summer

On Alexi Lalas's State of the Union podcast, where the ex-U.S. international hosted Berhalter as a guest, the USMNT boss revealed that last summer was a state of uncertainty between stints as manager. At the end of 2022, a scandal involving the Reyna family resulted in a months-long investigation into a 1992 Domestic Violence incident.

The subsequent investigation found that Berhalter was both honest and forthcoming around what happened and owned his actions. The investigation concluded that he would be available as a candidate for the USMNT job once again, and was re-hired in the Summer of 2023.

“To me it was about unfinished business,” Berhalter said. “So when this opportunity [the USMNT job] came, it was something that I felt very strongly about. But in terms of Club America, it was very close. One thing I could say is it’s a really professional club, high-level club, an exciting club and [there are] really good people there. For me, it was a really good opportunity.”

The USMNT boss elaborated that the "pressure" of the job in Mexico is what enticed him, explaining: “When I was in discussions with Club America, it was really exciting to be playing under that pressure, coaching under that pressure every single week, because it’s very volatile there and it forces you as a player to really push and to be focused on performing at a really high level every game.”

Berhalter was reinstated as USMNT boss and the group has since come together to qualify for the Concacaf Nations League semifinals this March and this summer's Copa America. The biggest tests of his managerial career await him, and they're both coming up fast.

It feels as thought it's win-or-nothing this March, whereas Copa America will be a true test for the 50-year-old and his squad. If they can manage to find themselves in a semifinal match this summer, it will likely be looked at as positive growth for the group.

The squad has a Concacaf Nations League semifinal against Jamaica this March to focus up on before this summer's Copa America. If they defeat the Reggae Boyz, they're then onto the final for a chance at their first trophy of 2024.