MELBOURNE, Australia — Vlatko Andonovski wasn't thinking about his job as he navigated the messy emotions of World Cup heartbreak. But he almost certainly lost it here at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Sunday, when the U.S. women's national team lost on penalties to Sweden.
After a 2021 Olympic bronze, he entered the 2023 World Cup needing to meet sky-high expectations to remain USWNT head coach. He fell short of them in every possible way. The USWNT’s Round of 16 exit is the worst World Cup result in program history. Andonovski is the first coach to lead the team into multiple major tournaments and win none of them.