MIAMI -- It was a little more than a year ago that Gregg Berhalter led the U.S. men's national team to a historically disappointing Copa America run, becoming the first ever host-nation of the CONMBEBOL tournament to be eliminated in the group stage. The team's two losses and one win prompted the U.S. Soccer Federation to fire Berhalter, forcing the coach's second exit from the national team.

As #BerhalterOUT inundated social media, questions about his future in the game naturally began. With a resume that included head coaching stints with the USMNT, Columbus Crew and Hammarby in Sweden, many wondered what, if anything in the coaching realm, was next for him. And, less than four months after his firing, Chicago Fire FC announced Berhalter would become the club's new head coach and director of football for the 2025 season.

It marked Berhalter's return to MLS, the league where he won two titles as a player and, in doing so, he was undertaking the task of rebuilding a fallen franchise. The Fire had not qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs since the 2017 season and finished the 2024 campaign in last place of the Eastern Conference.

Berhalter quickly responded to the challenge, transforming the...