Brief History of USA Coaches at the Men’s World Cup

It may surprise some of the newer fans of the US men’s national team that its history with the World Cup actually stretches back to the very first edition of soccer’s most prestigious tournament.

The United States was one of 13 teams that participated in the inaugural event in 1930 in Uruguay. Another appearance came in 1950, but as a 40-year drought meant the United States did not return to soccer’s biggest stage until 1990.

At the helm of these World Cup teams were managers who left their mark on American football. From a surprise semifinal run to breaking a decades-long drought, to reaching the quarterfinals and building golden generations, the men who have stood on the USA sidelines have written the story of a program still chasing its ceiling.

Let’s look at the managers who have led the US men’s team at the World Cup:

Robert Millar (WC 1930)

USA Manager Hiring: 1928-1930

The first coach to lead the U.S. men’s national team to a World Cup was Scottish-born Millar, who moved to the United States in 1911. He played with some of the earliest established soccer clubs in New York and Philadelphia and even played two games for the national team in 1928 before retiring as a player. But Millar’s greatest contribution to the game was taking over as manager of the United States for the first World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay. Two surprising wins in their group games against Belgium and Paraguay led to a surprise appearance in the semifinals, where the Americans lost to Argentina. It remains the best finish for the men’s team in history.

Replay highlights:

• Qualified the USA for the 1930 World Cup and reached the semi-finals
• Inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame in 1950

William Jeffrey (WC 1950)

USA Manager Hiring: 1950

After appearing in 1930, the USA missed out on the next two editions, and the tournament was also on hiatus during World War II. When the tournament was held in 1950 in Brazil, it was another Scottish-American who was in charge this time. Jeffrey moved to the United States at an early age and grew up in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He became the coach of Penn State’s football team in 1926, a position he would hold for 27 years. The U.S. Soccer Federation asked Jeffrey to take over the management duties for the 1950 World Cup. It was at that tournament in Brazil that the United States famously beat England, 1-0, in what was considered one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.

Replay highlights:

• Led the USA at the 1950 World Cup, which included a 1-0 win over England
• Inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame in 1951
• Nine-time pre-NCAA champion with Penn State

Bob Gansler (WC 1990)

USA Manager Hiring: 1989-1991

Gansler is a Hungarian-born American coach who led the US national team at the 1990 World Cup. This was the team’s first appearance in the tournament since 1950. His defining moment came before the tournament even began. The highlight of his tenure was the upset victory in Trinidad on November 19, 1989 that sent the USA to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years. He took a team made up primarily of college and amateur players, as the United States did not have a top division outdoor soccer league at the time when the North American Soccer League folded in 1985. At the club level, Gansler coached both the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer and the Milwaukee Rampage of the A-League, and was the title of the A-League’s year, becoming the name of the A-League’s MLS. 2000.

Replay highlights:

• Qualified the USA for the 1990 World Cup, ending a 40-year absence
• Coached the 1989 U.S. U20 team to a fourth-place finish at the World Youth Championship
• Won the 2000 MLS Cup and 2004 US Open Cup with the Kansas City Wizards
• Inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame as a builder of the game in 2011

Bora Milutinović (WC 1994)

USA Manager Hiring: 1991-1995

Velibor “Bora” Milutinović is famous for having coached five different national teams in five straight FIFA World Cup tournaments – Mexico in 1986, Costa Rica in 1990, USA in 1994, Nigeria in 1998 and China in 2002 – earning him the nickname “Miracle Worker”. With the United States, Milutinović coached the United States at the 1994 World Cup held in the United States, where the team recorded its first World Cup victory since 1950 and advanced to the knockout round for the first time since the 1930s. His preparation was equally remarkable. Milutinović worked his way through the American college system, extending central contracts to 30 players and establishing a residency in Southern California, where he compiled a schedule of 91 friendlies to give his newly assembled squad a crash course in international football.

Replay highlights:

• Led the USA to the round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup on home soil
• Guided the USA to a 2-1 victory over pre-tournament favorites Colombia at that World Cup
• Won the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup with the USMNT
• First coach in history to lead four different nations past the World Cup first round

Steve Sampson (World Cup 1998)

USA Manager Hiring: 1994-1998

Steve Sampson stepped in as interim coach following Milutinović’s departure and eventually claimed the job permanently after leading the team to a fourth-place finish at the 1995 Copa América. Although he lost the interim tag after the strong Copa América showing, the team’s exit from the group stage at the 1998 World Cup meant he was out of a job soon after. The 1998 campaign in France was a low point for the program, as the Americans lost all three group games and scored just one goal, with internal tensions and the controversial suspension of captain John Harkes adding to the chaos. Despite the disastrous World Cup, Sampson’s 26 wins as USMNT head coach ranks him fifth all-time in program history.

Replay highlights:

• Led USA to fourth place at Copa América in 1995
• Qualified the USA for the 1998 World Cup in France
• Served as assistant coach under Milutinović during the successful 1994 campaign

Bruce Arena (World Cup 1998)

USA Manager Hiring: 1998-2006, 2016-2017

Bruce Arena is the most successful coach in US history by most goals: most international wins, longest home run and best World Cup since 1930 – reached the quarterfinals at the 2002 World Cup before narrowly losing to Germany. The journey began with a stunning 3-2 defeat of heavily favored Portugal, Arena’s system of high-pressing defense and quick counter-attacks produced an early 3-0 lead before a famous 2-0 win over rivals Mexico in the round of 16. During his tenure in charge, Arena guided the USA to two Gold Cup crowns in 2006 after he returned to the job in 2006. Jürgen Klinsmann was fired in the middle of the World Cup qualifying campaign for the 2018 edition in Russia. Despite winning the 2017 Gold Cup, Arena was unable to get the USA into the 2018 World Cup thanks to an infamous loss at Trinidad & Tobago. At the club level, Arena holds a record five MLS Cup titles and shares the all-time record with three MLS Coach of the Year awards.

Replay highlights:

• Led USA to World Cup quarterfinals in 2002 – program’s best finish since 1930
• Three CONCACAF Gold Cup titles (2002, 2005, 2017)
• 81 wins as USMNT coach – all-time record
• Five NCAA Division I championships at the University of Virginia
• Five MLS Cup titles as manager; up to DC United, LA Galaxy, New England Revolution and San Jose Earthquakes

Bob Bradley (World Cup 2010)

Bob Bradley coached the USA to a runner-up finish at the 2009 Confederations Cup (which included a win over powerhouse Spain), a round of 16 appearance at the 2010 World Cup and the final of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup before being fired. His 2010 World Cup run was particularly memorable as the USA topped their group for the first time since 1930, fueled by Landon Donovan’s iconic stoppage goal against Algeria. Bradley is one of only three coaches to achieve a winning percentage over 60% for the United States in at least 20 games. Considering he didn’t have as large a group of players to work with compared to some other coaches, the fact that he’s third all-time in wins with 43 is nothing short of remarkable.

Replay highlights:

• Second place at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
• Led USA to 2010 World Cup Round of 16
• The USA finished first in their World Cup group in 2010 – the first time since 1930
• 43 wins as USMNT coach, third all-time in program history

Jürgen Klinsmann (World Cup 2014)

USA Manager Hiring: 2011-2016

Klinsmann arrived as one of the most decorated hires in American soccer history. He played for powerhouses such as Inter Milan, Tottenham and Bayern Munich before becoming manager of the German national team from 2004 to 2006. As America’s most high-profile head coach before Pochettino, Klinsmann promised a tactical revolution. Although a run to the round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup was a highlight, things began to derail with defeats to Mexico and Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying, forcing US Soccer to fire him in November 2016 and bringing back Bruce Arena to try to salvage the ill-fated campaign for Russia’s 2018 national recruitment and the recruitment of US Klinmann’s 2018 players to compete overseas had a lasting influence on the program’s culture.

Replay highlights:

• Led the USA to the 2014 World Cup Round of 16, including a famous win over Ghana
• Won the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup
• Led Germany to third place at the 2006 World Cup as manager
• Won the World Cup in 1990 as a player with West Germany
• 55 wins as USMNT coach, second all-time in program history

Gregg Berhalter (WC 2022)

USA Manager Hiring: 2018-2022, 2023-2024

Berhalter finished his managerial career with a 68.2% winning percentage – the highest of any manager in team history among those with at least 20 games coached. He guided the United States into a new era and oversaw the emergence of what many called “the golden generation” — Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and company. The team won the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League in 2021 with a 3–2 victory over Mexico in the final and won a third CONCACAF Nations League title in March 2024. His contract expired after the 2022 World Cup, but he was rehired to manage another World Cup qualification cycle. However, it was interrupted and his tenure ended on a sour note: the United States were eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 Copa América, becoming the first host nation not to advance to the knockout stage since the group format was introduced in 1975.

Replay highlights:

• Led USA to World Cup 2022 Round of 16
• Three CONCACAF Nations League titles (2021, 2023, 2024)
• Highest winning percentage of any USMNT head coach in program history
• 44 victories spread over two rounds as national team coach

Mauricio Pochettino (World Cup 2026)

USA Manager Hiring: 2024 – today

Pochettino, appointed in September 2024 on a contract through the 2026 World Cup, serves as the current head coach and the first South American-born manager to lead the team. Pochettino’s CV includes a Ligue 1 title, a Premier League runner-up finish and a UEFA Champions League final. Pochettino has publicly outlined his goals for 2026, which are primarily to reach the quarter-finals of the extended World Cup as a minimum. With a World Cup on home soil and the most talented American generation (led by star forward Christian Pulisic and midfielder Weston McKennie) ever assembled, the pressure and the opportunity have never been greater.

Replay highlights:

• Led Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final
• Won Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain (2022)
• Premier League runners-up with Tottenham (2017)
• First South American manager to coach USA
• Tasked with leading the USA into the World Cup in 2026 as co-hosts

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How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Divided among three countries, the tournament culminates with the final on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches airs live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every game streaming live and on-demand in both the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, are televised in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).