New York — U.S. women’s national team coach Emma Hayes has sidestepped questions about whether she should get a pay rise if she brings in a high-priced star like Jurgen Klopp to replace Gregg Berhalter on the U.S. men’s team.
Berhalter is under contract through the 2026 World Cup. U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director Matt Crocker has not spoken to the media about Berhalter’s status since the team’s first-round exit from last week’s Copa America.
“My focus today is to prepare the team for this week’s training camp. I have to think about that, and more importantly, how I’m going to perform with this team and at this Olympics,” Hayes said Monday during a news conference with U.S. men’s Olympic coach Marko Mitrovic. “I don’t think it’s an issue right now or for me when it comes to the men’s team and gender equality, because I know that my absolute focus this week is preparation.”
Hayes, who was named FIFA’s Best Women’s National Team Coach in 2021, managed Chelsea’s women’s team from 2012 to 2024 before taking charge of the United States this spring.
According to the USSF’s 2022 tax filing, Berhalter earned $2,291,136 in 2022, including a $900,000 bonus for helping the U.S. qualify for the World Cup and advance to the second round.
Hayes’ predecessor as the U.S. women’s coach, Vlatko Andonovski, had a base salary of $396,089 in 2002, plus a $15,000 bonus. Andonovski quit last August after the U.S. was eliminated in the second round of the Women’s World Cup.
When Hayes was hired in November, the USSF said Hayes would be “the highest-paid women’s soccer coach in the world.” Coaches’ salaries are typically disclosed by the USSF each February when it releases its tax returns for the fiscal year that ended March 31 of the previous year.
The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has agreed to equalize salaries for men’s and women’s national team players in 2022.
Klopp left Liverpool this spring after nine seasons that included winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
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