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U.S. Soccer is moving on.
Three days after the U.S. men's national team was eliminated from the World Cup, the federation announced Steve Cherundolo will lead the USMNT's under-23 team heading toward the 2028 LA Olympics.
Cherundolo played for the USMNT at three World Cups and led LAFC to the MLS Cup in 2022 as a coach. He holds a UEFA Pro License.
The Olympics are a U-23 tournament for men, though teams can have three overage players.
"The 2028 Olympics present a critical platform to develop our next generation of players and further engage our passionate fan base as we pursue an Olympic medal at home," U.S. Soccer chief operating officer Dan Helfrich, who led the search, said in a statement.
"Steve’s leadership will be instrumental in building an Olympic team that proudly represents U.S. Soccer," Helfrich added. "And he will work closely with both our senior and youth national team coaches in growing the game together.”
The USMNT went 16 years without qualifying for the Olympics before making the field for the Paris Games in 2024. That lack of major tournament experience was seen as a hinderance in the development of the USMNT's talent pool.
Cherundolo will hold camps at U.S. Soccer's new national training center to identify potential players and, once selected, the team will play friendlies in the lead-up to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. As the host, the United States automatically qualifies for the LA Games.
Cherundolo, a defender, made 87 appearances for the USMNT from 1999 to 2012. That included the World Cup in 2002, 2006 and 2010, where he played every minute of the tournament at right back. He was named to the USMNT's All-Time Best XI in 2013, and inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2021.
After a 15-year club career at Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga, Cherundolo began coaching, starting in Germany's youth level. He coached the Las Vegas Lights, a USL team, for one season before being hired by LAFC in 2022.
Cherundolo had a record of 106 wins, 32 draws and 55 losses in four seasons (2022 to 2025) with LAFC. In addition to the MLS title in 2022, LAFC won the Supporters' Shield that year and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2024.
"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," Cherundolo said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: U.S. Soccer names former USMNT star Steve Cherundolo as Olympic coach
Continue reading...
Three days after the U.S. men's national team was eliminated from the World Cup, the federation announced Steve Cherundolo will lead the USMNT's under-23 team heading toward the 2028 LA Olympics.
Cherundolo played for the USMNT at three World Cups and led LAFC to the MLS Cup in 2022 as a coach. He holds a UEFA Pro License.
The Olympics are a U-23 tournament for men, though teams can have three overage players.
"The 2028 Olympics present a critical platform to develop our next generation of players and further engage our passionate fan base as we pursue an Olympic medal at home," U.S. Soccer chief operating officer Dan Helfrich, who led the search, said in a statement.
"Steve’s leadership will be instrumental in building an Olympic team that proudly represents U.S. Soccer," Helfrich added. "And he will work closely with both our senior and youth national team coaches in growing the game together.”
The USMNT went 16 years without qualifying for the Olympics before making the field for the Paris Games in 2024. That lack of major tournament experience was seen as a hinderance in the development of the USMNT's talent pool.
Cherundolo will hold camps at U.S. Soccer's new national training center to identify potential players and, once selected, the team will play friendlies in the lead-up to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. As the host, the United States automatically qualifies for the LA Games.
Cherundolo, a defender, made 87 appearances for the USMNT from 1999 to 2012. That included the World Cup in 2002, 2006 and 2010, where he played every minute of the tournament at right back. He was named to the USMNT's All-Time Best XI in 2013, and inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2021.
After a 15-year club career at Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga, Cherundolo began coaching, starting in Germany's youth level. He coached the Las Vegas Lights, a USL team, for one season before being hired by LAFC in 2022.
Cherundolo had a record of 106 wins, 32 draws and 55 losses in four seasons (2022 to 2025) with LAFC. In addition to the MLS title in 2022, LAFC won the Supporters' Shield that year and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2024.
"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," Cherundolo said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: U.S. Soccer names former USMNT star Steve Cherundolo as Olympic coach
Continue reading...
