Ever since the U.S. men's national team exited the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the round of 16, off-field matters have garnered most of the attention. The ugly spat between U.S. World Cup manager Gregg Berhalter and the family of winger Gio Reyna -- one that resulted in a decades-old domestic violence incident involving Berhalter coming to light -- took center stage. The departures of sporting director Earnie Stewart and GM Brian McBride added to the sense of upheaval.
The hiring of Matt Crocker as Stewart's replacement has created optimism that things are coming back together, but Anthony Hudson remains the interim manager after Berhalter's contract wasn't renewed.