USMNT sporting director Matt Crocker has walked out on his job, just 58 days before the World Cup kicks off on home soil.
Crocker, who played a key role in hiring head coach Mauricio Pochettino ahead of this summer’s tournament, will leave to take a lucrative role with the Saudi Arabia national team.
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His decision to jump ship causes a major headache for US soccer chiefs, weeks before the USMNT will take center stage as a 2026 World Cup host nation.
The US Soccer Federation (USSF) confirmed news of his departure in a statement shared Tuesday.
USMNT chief quits two months before World Cup
“Sporting director Matt Crocker will depart the organization to pursue another opportunity in international soccer,” a statement, shared on the USSF website, read.
The federation added that chief operating officer Dan Helfrich will ‘provide executive oversight and support’ across sporting operations in the wake of Crocker’s exit.
Helfrich will work closely with assistant sporting director Oguchi Onyewu, and the wider sporting leadership team, to ensure ‘continuity.’
Crocker, who took the role of sporting director in 2023 and also recruited Englishwoman Emma Hayes to lead the USWNT, insisted he’s ‘proud’ of what’s been built by the federation during his time.
“It has been a privilege to be part of US Soccer during such an important period for the sport in this country,” he said.
“I’m grateful for the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with across the federation, from our coaches and players to our technical and administrative staff.
“I’m proud of what’s been built together and confident the team in place will continue to move the game forward and drive success on and off the field.”
The USMNT team play their first World Cup game against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California, on June 12.
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Before the tournament kicks off, Pochettino’s side will host Senegal and Germany for friendly games.
Matt Crocker departure ‘bad look’ for US soccer
Crocker, a Welshman who’d previously worked at the English Football Association, has been described as an ‘architect’ of the USMNT World Cup project.
According to The Athletic, he was primarily focused on player development behind-the-scenes at USSF, but was also around the senior team during their recent training camp in Atlanta.
Alexi Lalas, a former defender who was a key member of the national side the last time the US hosted the World Cup in 1994, has described Crocker’s exit as ‘bat crap crazy.’
“It’s a really bad look, not just for the federation, but at a time when soccer can’t afford to be having these bad looks,” he said on his State of the Union podcast.
“This is the leader, the architect for what is going to be on display this summer on the field and he’s not going to be there.
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“Not only is he not going to be there, but he is going to be with another competing team at the World Cup.
“It just seems very weird.”
USMNT icon says ‘good riddance’ to sporting director
Landon Donovan, meanwhile, revealed he’s happy Crocker is gone, and suggested he was never fully convinced by the work that was being done.
“If he doesn’t want to be here, we don’t want him here,” Donovan, who won 157 caps for the US, said in a video posted on social media.
“I always got the sense he wasn’t fully committed here, and didn’t really care about soccer in this country.
“If he doesn’t want to be here, then we should be happy that he’s gone.
“I’m actually happy to get someone in that position who genuinely cares about the growth of soccer and is not just interested in making their next paycheck.
“So good riddance to him.”
Following their opening World Cup fixture against Paraguay, USMNT will face Australia and Turkey, with hopes of advancing from Group D and into the knockout rounds of the tournament.
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