Jurgen Klopp rejects US coaching offer after Copa America exit

Jurgen Klopp has rejected an offer from the U.S. Soccer Federation to take over as head coach of the men’s national team following the firing of Gregg Berhalter.

Klopp has been initially approached about the possibility of taking over the U.S. national team, but he has said he wants to take a break from soccer, according to sources familiar with the matter. Despite that, there is still interest from the U.S. Soccer Federation in making the 57-year-old their next coach.

Berhalter was fired on Wednesday after the U.S. team’s disappointing group-stage exit at this summer’s Copa America, which was held on home soil.

Klopp officially left his position as Liverpool manager in May, ending a transformative nine-year spell at Anfield that brought eight major trophies.

“I love everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our fans, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But to have made this decision shows that I am convinced that it is the decision I have to make,” he said when announcing his departure in January.

“The problem is that I’m exhausted. I have no problem now, obviously I’ve known that for a long time and that I’ll have to announce it at some point, but I’m perfectly fine now. I know I can’t do this job over and over again.”

Klopp enjoyed a successful spell at Anfield (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Under his leadership, Liverpool won the Premier League title for the first time in 30 years, and also won the Champions League for the first time since 2005 when they defeated Tottenham Hotspur in 2019.

The call with Klopp comes as the United States prepares for the 2026 World Cup, which it will co-host with Canada and Mexico, with the aim of improving on its last-16 exit in Qatar 18 months ago.

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US Soccer’s sporting director Matt Crocker stressed the importance of finding a new coach after Berhalter’s dismissal, which came after a “comprehensive review” of the team’s performance at the Copa America.

“Our immediate focus is on finding a coach who can maximise our potential as we continue to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, and we have already started the search process,” he added.

Berhalter’s exit comes after a mixed period marked by both achievement and controversy.

Despite leading the U.S. to the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup and winning two CONCACAF Nations League titles and the Gold Cup, his reappointment last summer came as a surprise. Problems with key players, including a high-profile feud with young star Gio Reyna, and a string of lacklustre results that culminated in a disappointing Copa America, ultimately led to his dismissal.

The USA’s Copa América campaign saw them beat Bolivia 2-0, but losses to Panama and Uruguay led to an early exit, making them the first host nation to be eliminated in the group stage since the tournament was introduced as a single-host country in 1987.

Regarding the team’s performance, Crocker said: “Our performance in the tournament was below our expectations. We have to do better.”

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Additional reporting: Greg O’Keefe and James Pierce

(Top photo: Cliff Brunskill/Getty Images)