Category: World Cup

Fans Call for Gregg Berhalter's Job After Colombia Routs United States in Friendly
9 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Fans Call for Gregg Berhalter’s Job After Colombia Routs United States in Friendly

The United States men's national soccer team played an international friendly against Colombia on Saturday as both teams prepare for Copa America and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Despite the United States starting 11 players from Europe's five most prominent leagues for the first time, not much went well for the Americans. Colombia took a 2–0 lead in the game's first 19 minutes and ran away with a 5–1 win, the biggest margin in a loss of coach Gregg Berhalter's tenure on the United States sidelines.

No team had scored five goals against the United States since Mexico in the 2009 Gold Cup final. It was the United States' first time losing by four or more goals since a 4–0 loss to Costa Rica in 2016 that led to the firing of then-coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

Berhalter, who was hired as the USMNT head coach in 2018, was appointed last summer to lead the Americans to the 2026 World Cup. U.S. soccer fans weren't happy with Saturday's result, however, and their calls for a coaching change grew louder.

The United States will face Brazil on Wednesday for another friendly match ahead of Copa America, which is scheduled to begin June 20.

Colombia, Gregg Berhalter, Soccer, USMNT, World Cup
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USWNT Star Kelley O'Hara Will Retire After 2024 NWSL Season
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

USWNT Star Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 NWSL Season

Two-time World Cup champion Kelley O'Hara announced on Thursday via Just Women's Sports that she intends to retire from professional soccer after the 2024 NWSL season.

"I have always said I would play under two conditions: That I still love playing soccer, and if my body would let me do it the way I wanted to," O’Hara said. "I realized a while back that I was always going to love it, so it was the physical piece that was going to be the deciding factor."

O'Hara will play her second and final season with Gotham FC, the team coming off the 2023 league title. Her final game will be played at a date to be determined later depending on how Gotham FC fares this season.

A big piece of O'Hara's decision to retire was determined by the recent injuries she's dealt with, most recently with ankle and knee issues. But once she listened to her body about the physical "toll" the injuries have taken on her, she felt much better about her retirement decision.

"Once I was like, 'Alright, you know what, this will be my last year,' I have had a lot of peace with it," O'Hara said. "Truly the only thing I felt was gratitude for everything that my career has been, all the things I've been able to do and the people I've been able to do it with."

The 35-year-old has been a member of the USWNT since 2010, playing with them during four World Cup runs and helping them win a gold medal during the 2012 London Olympics.

She's won two NWSL titles, one with her former club the Washington Spirit back in 2021, and again last year with Gotham FC. She could add a third title to her resume depending how the team does this season.

NWSL, USWNT, World Cup
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