USA soccer coaching candidates ranked: Former England boss Gareth Southgate leads the way

Here are five potential candidates and how they rank including Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira

By Chuck Booth Jul 23, 2024 at 7:37 pm ET• 3 min read

As time passes, more candidates are beginning to emerge as the search for Gregg Berhalter's successor as United States men's national team manager continues. Jurgen Klopp may have been ruled out as a candidate but sporting director Matt Crocker has no shortage of available options such as England manager Gareth Southgate resigning and Partick Veiria leaving Strasbourg by mutual consent. 

Let's take a look at some of the rumored candidates and who among them would be the best fit to lead the USMNT in the 2026 World Cup:

5. Patrick Vieira, free agent

Linked to the USMNT role when Berhlater was out of contract, Vieria's best times as a manager came with New York City FC in Major League Soccer. Familiar with the league and having taken up roles with Nice, Crystal Palace, and Strasbourg, Vieira has experience with top players but hasn't shown that he can consistently translate that into success. Taking into account his time as a player with Arsenal and what makes a good international manager, it may not matter, however. A strong leader and someone who can connect with his players, there are much worse choices than Vieira for overseeing the USMNT. 

Our Jonathan Johnson took a closer look at Vieira here.