Fired Coach Berhalter Torched for Pulisic Critique After Pochettino Achieves What He Never Could

Gregg Berhalter spent six years as USMNT head coach without ever winning a World Cup knockout match. Two days after Mauricio Pochettino did exactly that, Berhalter went on television to explain how the win could have been better.

The clip of Berhalter critiquing Christian Pulisic's positioning in the USMNT's 2-0 Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina has been viewed 3.5 million times since Thursday morning. It is the first World Cup knockout victory for the United States since 2002, a genuinely historic result for the programme. Fans did not care about the tactical nuance. They cared that the man delivering it was the same one shown the door in 2024.

What Berhalter Actually Said About Pulisic's Role

Appearing on FanDuel's Coaches Corner alongside fellow former USMNT managers Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley, Berhalter broke down the buildup to one of Pulisic's early involvements against Bosnia's 5-3-2 shape.

"It really came from us building in our shape, it was like a 3-1-6 formation almost... Antonee Robinson was high, Malik (Tillman) was high, Christian was wide and we played in the ball. Malik runs behind the back line and Christian cuts across the middle of the field like a knife, just accelerating across the field. That was a really dangerous attack."

The Core Complaint: Not Enough Intention

Berhalter's issue wasn't with that specific sequence, it was that the USMNT didn't replicate it often enough. He wanted Pulisic isolated wide, taking defenders on and creating from a repeatable pattern rather than an occasional flash.

"I would have liked to see that more. Stay wide, get the ball, take the opponent on and have players running from there. I I "

It's a defensible football opinion. Pulisic was rated a modest 6/10 by talkSPORT's Ben Jacobs for his display against Bosnia, still working his way back from the calf injury he suffered in the opening group game. The problem for Berhalter was never the substance. It was the source.

Why USMNT Fans Are Furious, 'The Guy Who Got Fired' Clapback

Berhalter was dismissed as USMNT head coach following a disappointing Copa America campaign, compounded by revelations of a past domestic incident and a prior DUI that had already strained his relationship with players and supporters. For a fanbase that endured six years of underachievement, watching him critique his successor's tactics after Pochettino delivered a result Berhalter never managed was too much to let slide.

The Reaction Online Was Immediate

Social media response to the clip was less about formations and more about receipts. Fans lined up to point out the obvious gap between the two men's records:

• "Yes, let's ask the guy who was fired for being bad at his job what we should've done."
• "Gregg doing punditry about this team is so weird and really tone deaf. Any sort of critiquing is completely absurd from him."
• "Remind me how many World Cup wins as the USMNT HC this guy accomplished?"
• "Gregg, respectfully, you had 6 years with this group and failed. Poch is doing something with this group you could never do."
• "He still wants hero ball from Pulisic, wanting him to be the focal point. Bro forgets that 11 players are on the field."

A Credibility Problem, Not Just a Tactics One

That last comment cuts closest to the real tension. Berhalter's critique wasn't factually wrong, Pochettino's system did ask Pulisic to share creative responsibility rather than dominate it. But after years of Berhalter's own USMNT sides failing to escape the group stage disappointment of previous cycles, asking fans to trust his read on "hero ball" usage was always going to land badly. Pochettino has already banked the knockout win Berhalter never got close to.

Why It Matters Now: Pulisic Set for Bigger Role vs Belgium Without Balogun

The irony is that Berhalter may get his wish anyway, just not for the reason he wanted. Folarin Balogun, the USMNT's top scorer with three goals including the opener against Bosnia, was sent off following a contested VAR review and will serve a suspension for the Round of 16 clash with Belgium.

Pulisic Pushed Into the Number Nine Role

Balogun's absence leaves a significant void up front, and early indications point to Pulisic shifting into a central, number nine-adjacent role as the focal point of the USMNT attack. That is close to the featured usage Berhalter was demanding, except it's being forced by necessity rather than tactical design.

For bettors weighing markets around the fixture, that shift is the real story. A Pulisic operating centrally and carrying more attacking responsibility changes the calculus on anytime goalscorer odds and the broader USMNT-to-win price against a Belgium side that will present a far sterner defensive test than Bosnia did.

Pochettino's Line-Up Puzzle

Whether Pochettino builds the entire attack around Pulisic in the middle, or simply reshuffles the front line to compensate, will define how the US approach the biggest game of their campaign since 2002. Berhalter, whatever his standing with the fanbase, will be watching closely to see whether "hero ball" finally shows up, just under someone else's management.

What Happens Next

The USMNT face Belgium in the Round of 16 with Balogun sidelined and Pulisic almost certain to lead the line as their primary attacking outlet. How Pochettino configures the supporting cast around him, whether that's Tillman in a deeper creative role or a reshaped front three, will be the key tactical storyline heading into kickoff.

For Berhalter, the backlash to his punditry is unlikely to be the last word. Every USMNT knockout fixture from here will invite comparison between what he achieved in six years and what Pochettino has already delivered in his first tournament. That comparison, more than any formation breakdown, is what fans will keep returning to.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Gregg Berhalter say about Christian Pulisic?
Berhalter argued on FanDuel's Coaches Corner that the USMNT didn't do enough to isolate Pulisic wide and let him run at defenders during the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said there wasn't enough "intention" to set Pulisic loose in dangerous positions.

Why are USMNT fans criticising Berhalter's comments?
Fans pointed out that Berhalter was fired as USMNT head coach in 2024 without ever winning a World Cup knockout match, while Pochettino has already achieved that milestone in his first tournament. The backlash centres on his credibility to critique tactics rather than the substance of his point.

Why was Berhalter fired as USMNT coach?
Berhalter was dismissed following a disappointing Copa America campaign and after past personal misconduct, including a prior DUI and a domestic incident, resurfaced and damaged trust with players and fans. His six-year tenure was also marked by repeated tournament underachievement.

Why is this USMNT win over Bosnia historic?
The 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 marks the United States' first World Cup knockout win in more than two decades, since 2002. It represents a significant milestone for the programme under Pochettino.

Why will Christian Pulisic play a bigger role against Belgium?
Folarin Balogun, the USMNT's top scorer with three goals, was sent off during the Bosnia match and will be suspended for the Round of 16 tie against Belgium. That forces Pulisic into a more central, focal-point role to compensate for the absence of the team's leading striker.

How was Pulisic rated against Bosnia?
talkSPORT's Ben Jacobs rated Pulisic's performance a 6/10, reflecting a solid but unspectacular display as he continued working back from a calf injury sustained in the opening group game.

Did Berhalter ever win a World Cup knockout game as USMNT coach?
No. Despite six years in charge, Berhalter never guided the USMNT to a World Cup knockout victory, which is central to why fans dismissed his critique of Pochettino's tactics.