Hour 3: ‘What’s More Likely,’ plus Ex-USMNT Coach Gregg Berhalter Talks World Cup
Greg Berhalter, the first person to play and coach for the U.S. men's national team in a World Cup—and now the father of a player on the current squad—joins The Rich Eisen Show ahead of the 2026 World Cup opener. As a coach, he reflects on the emotional weight of the moment, the intense preparation, and the unique pressure of leading a national team where expectations are sky-high. He argues that the current U.S. squad, with 21 of 26 players from MLS academies and 13 having played in a prior World Cup, is positioned to win multiple knockout games, making a quarterfinal appearance a realistic benchmark for success. Berhalter also shares candid insights on the challenges of coaching a part-time national team and the unpredictability of a tightly matched group stage. Beyond soccer, he praises the growth of MLS, citing world-class facilities like the Chicago Fire’s, which even impressed German national team players. The episode also features a lighthearted segment on World Cup referee hair, arbitrary stoppage time, and a playful 'What’s More Likely' game with Rich Eisen and Chris, touching on everything from NFL trades to Stanley Cup Game 7s.
The U.S. men's national team has 21 players from MLS academies and 13 with prior World Cup experience—making this squad the most experienced and developmentally rooted in U.S. soccer history.
Berhalter believes a successful 2026 World Cup for the U.S. is reaching the quarterfinals, given the team’s peak-age players and elite individual talent like Pulisic and McKinney.
Coaching a national team is uniquely challenging due to part-time commitments and unrealistic public expectations—'You just want to win, that’s it.'
The Chicago Fire’s training facility is so advanced that German national team players called it the third-best in Germany, a testament to MLS’s rapid infrastructure growth.
Berhalter refuses to be a 'helicopter dad,' emphasizing that his son Sebastian needs mental space to focus before game day—no contact allowed.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome to The Rich Eisen Show
Rich Eisen introduces the show, highlights where to watch and listen, and previews the day’s guests, including former U.S. Men’s National Team coach Greg Berhalter.
Greg Berhalter: Player, Coach, and Dad
“I was talking to my wife last night and I don't really have words to describe what it's like. It's really hard to communicate my feelings. It's such an immense amount of pride.”
The Mindset of a Coach, Player, and Father
Berhalter contrasts his focus as a player (internal, hyper-focused) with his coaching role (team-wide preparation, mental readiness), and shares his emotional stance as a father—keeping hands off to preserve his son’s focus.
What Success Looks Like in 2026
“I think it's now it's about the expectations are we should win knockout games, multiple knockout games. And I would think it'd be success if we got to the quarterfinals.”
The Challenge of the Group Stage
Berhalter identifies the group’s parity as the biggest challenge—any team can beat any other, making predictions nearly impossible and increasing the pressure on every match.
“You know what outbalances all of this, Steve? Is the fact that you try to balance the pH for Ed Pinckney. End of story.”
“So we just had Germany training at our facility. There you go. And I'm talking to the German national team players and they're saying this would be the third best training facility in all of Germany.”
“I was talking to my wife last night and I don't really have words to describe what it's like. It's really hard to communicate my feelings. It's such an immense amount of pride.”
Host
Guest
rich eisen
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greg berhalter
person
u.s. men's national team
other
chicago fire
other
sebastian berhalter
person
pella windows and doors
brand
new york knicks
other
atlantic city
place
miami marlins
other
linkedin hiring pro
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