- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,231,657
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Steve Cherundolo coached LAFC for four seasons, reaching two MLS Cup finals and winning one. (Rich Lam / Getty Images)
Steve Cherundolo, who took LAFC to two MLS Cup finals in four years as manager, was named Thursday as head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team that will compete at the 2028 L.A. Olympics.
A three-time World Cup veteran and member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Cherundolo, 47, had 30 caps with three U.S. junior teams before making his senior debut in 1999. He went on to play 87 times for the senior national team and played 15 seasons at German Bundesliga club Hannover 96, making 415 appearances.
Cherundolo, who grew up in San Diego, transitioned into coaching in Germany at the youth level, then returned to the U.S. in 2021 to lead the Las Vegas Lights, then LAFC’s affiliate in the USL Championship. A season later he replaced Bob Bradley as the head coach at LAFC.
In his first season in MLS, he guided the club to an MLS Cup victory and won the Supporters’ Shield, breaking the record for most victories by a first-year manager with 21. He also had the most wins (29), most points (96) and best winning percentage through 50 games of any coach in league history, won a U.S. Open Cup and took LAFC to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final before leaving the club last November, saying he was returning to Germany with his family.
Read more:Commentary: Steve Cherundolo's departure shouldn't ruin LAFC's 2026 MLS title aspirations
“Throughout his career, Steve Cherundolo has been a proven winner, an elite talent developer, and a great ambassador for American soccer,” Dan Helfrich, U.S. Soccer’s COO and the man who led the coaching search, said in a statement. “The 2028 Olympics present a critical platform to develop our next generation of players.”
Cherundolo’s main responsibility as the new head coach for the U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team will be to build a the roster for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“Representing the United States at the Olympic Games is one of the greatest honors in sports, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this team,” Cherundolo said in a statement. “I believe we have an exciting group of players with tremendous potential, and I’m looking forward to building an environment where they can challenge themselves, grow together, and represent our country with pride.
“Our responsibility is to compete with courage, humility, and a clear identity, one that reflects the values of U.S. Soccer and gives our supporters a team they can be proud of.”
Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Continue reading...
