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Steve Cherundolo, the 47-year-old former US Men’s National Team defender and LAFC head coach, has been named head coach of the US men’s U-23 national team. His mission: lead the squad at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The appointment, announced on July 9, places one of American soccer’s most decorated figures at the helm of what will be the highest-profile home Olympics in decades.
A resume built for the moment
Cherundolo earned 87 caps for the USMNT between 1999 and 2012, appearing in three World Cups across that stretch. His playing career in Germany spanned over a decade, giving him the kind of international pedigree that Olympic tournament soccer demands.
He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2021.
On the coaching side, he won both the MLS Cup and the Supporters’ Shield in 2022 at LAFC. He led the club through the 2025 season before departing, and now pivots to international duty.
Olympic men’s soccer operates under specific roster rules. Teams field U-23 squads with a limited number of overage player exceptions. That means Cherundolo will spend the next two years identifying and developing young American talent while potentially cherry-picking a few veteran ringers to round out the roster.
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