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Gregg Berhalter, 49, a Tenafly native, has the world in his hands and on his shoulders as he leads the national team in their first World Cup match in eight years against Wales after the team failed to qualify for the event four years ago.
Berhalter has a difficult task on his hands, leading a promising, but young - the second youngest team by average in the entire tournament - squad into the world's largest and most popular sporting event.
Since taking over in 2018, Berhalter has overseen a rebuild and revamp of the national roster, led by prominent and promising 24-year-old midfielder Christian Pulisic, who has high hopes for the American squad.
Berhalter was born in Englewood and grew up in Tenafly, where he was a teammate with Olympic and World Cup Star Claudio Reyna at Saint Benedict’s Prep School in Newark.
He had a 15-year career overseas before coming back stateside and leading the LA Galaxy to the 2009 MLS Cup. He also played briefly for the national team before turning to coaching.
Berhalter spent time coaching in Sweden before coming home to take over as the head of the Columbus Crew. He was appointed to the USMNT in December 2018.
“Collecting 44 caps during an international career that spanned 12 years, Berhalter earned his first appearance in 1994 and went on to play a part of (US)MNT squads at six major tournaments, including the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups," according to US Soccer.
“A fiery competitor and vocal leader, the center back played in both of the USA’s World Cup Knockout Round matches in Korea Republic, helping keep a clean sheet during the 2-0 win against Mexico in the 2002 Round of 16.”
The US Men's National Team kicked off their World Cup run on Monday, Nov. 21 against Wales, and have games scheduled against rival England on Friday, Nov. 25, and Group B foe Iran scheduled for 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
If they are one of the top two finishers in the group, the US team will head to the knockout round, where every game will be do or die.
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