While the U.S. senior coaching job remains unclear in the wake of the World Cup campaign, the 2028 Olympic squad has a new leader: Steve Cherundolo.
A three-time World Cup defender and MLS Cup-winning coach, Cherundolo on Thursday was appointed to oversee the under-23 program preparing for the Summer Games in Los Angeles.
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“Throughout his career, Steve Cherundolo has been a proven winner, an elite talent developer, and a great ambassador for American soccer,” USSF chief executive Dan Helfrich said. “The 2028 Olympics present a critical platform to develop our next generation of players and further engage our passionate fan base as we pursue an Olympic medal at home.”
Cherundolo, 47, will work closely with the youth and senior team coaches as the Olympics near, Helfrich added.
While the senior national team and World Cup squad consist of players of all ages, the Olympic men’s program is for those 23 and under. In the Olympic tournament, FIFA allows three overage players. (In Olympic women’s soccer, there are no age restrictions.)
Marko Mitrovic, the current New England Revolution coach, led the 2024 team to the quarterfinals in France – its best finish since the 2000 semifinals.
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As the Olympic host, the U.S. will not need to qualify for the 12-team tournament.
Steve Cherundolo will work closely with the youth and senior team coaches as the Olympics near. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images)
(Scott Wachter via Getty Images)
With a good showing at the Olympics, Cherundolo would be well-positioned to become a candidate for the U.S. senior job in the future.
Mauricio Pochettino is in talks with the USSF to remain the senior national team coach after guiding the World Cup squad to the Round of 16. If a deal is not reached, the USSF is expected to conduct a global search to begin preparing for the 2030 competition.
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Cherundolo – a San Diego native and 2021 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee – has extensive coaching experience. He was an assistant at Hannover, the German club for which he played right back for 15 years. He was also an assistant for Stuttgart and worked on Dave Sarachan’s U.S. staff in 2018.
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He also worked with the German youth program before guiding the second-division Las Vegas Lights for one season. In 2022, Cherundolo took over Los Angeles FC, guiding the club to the Supporters’ Shield with the best regular season record and the MLS championship.
He stepped down after the 2025 season to return to Germany with his family.
In his new role, Cherundolo will split time between the U.S. and Europe, working at the new national training center near Atlanta and conducting camps overseas, where many Olympic candidates play for clubs, the USSF said.
“Representing the United States at the Olympic Games is one of the greatest honors in sports, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this team,” said Cherundolo, who was a member of the 2002, ’06 and ’10 World Cup teams. “I believe we have an exciting group of players with tremendous potential, and I’m looking forward to building an environment where they can challenge themselves, grow together and represent our country with pride.”
