CHICAGO — Chicago Fire FC has hired former U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team head coach Gregg Berhalter as its head coach and director of football, the Major League Soccer team announced Tuesday.

Berhalter becomes the 10th full-time head coach in Fire history and, according to the team, will oversee all aspects of the club’s sporting operations, including the First Team, Chicago Fire FC II and the Chicago Fire Academy, reporting directly to Fire owner and chairman Joe Mansueto.

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According to the Fire, current head coach Frank Klopas will step down following the team’s final regular-season match on Oct. 19 and will transition to a new role as vice president of football. The Fire are in last place in MLS’ 15-team Eastern Conference and have been eliminated from postseason contention.

“After a thorough and detailed search that included a number of exceptional candidates, it became clear that Gregg Berhalter was the right choice to lead our sporting operations,” Mansueto said in a news release. “His previous success in MLS, where he thrived in a dual role, and his experience leading the U.S. Men’s National Team over the last six years make him an ideal fit for our vision for the Club moving forward.”

During his tenure in the high-profile role as USMNT coach, Berhalter led the U.S. back to the FIFA World Cup in 2022, with the youngest pool of players in team history, after it failed to qualify in 2018. The team went 44-17-3 during Berhalter’s tenure and also won the 2021 Gold Cup and two Concacaf Nations League titles.

However, the U.S. failed to make it past the Round of 16 in the 2022 World Cup, and Berhalter was eventually fired by the team this past July.

Prior to his time with the USMNT, Berhalter’s was a head coach in Sweden for Hammarby IF and in the MLS for the Columbus Crew. He was the first American-born man to manage a pro team in Europe. During his stint with the Crew, Berhalter led that club to the MLS Cup Playoffs four times in five seasons, including a runner-up finish in the 2015 MLS Cup Final.

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As a player, Berhalter spent 18 pro seasons in the Netherlands, England, Germany and the U.S. He represented the USMNT at two FIFA World Cups.

“I’m honored to be named director of football and head coach of the Chicago Fire, and I would like to thank Mansueto for his trust,” Berhalter said in the release. “Chicago is an incredible city, built on communities of hard-working and passionate people who truly love soccer.

“I look forward to working alongside our staff and players to transform the Fire into a world-class organization that all our fans and the city can be proud of and will support.”

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