Jeff CarlisleJul 9, 2026, 09:34 AM ET

The U.S. Soccer Federation named former United States international and MLS Cup-winning coach Steve Cherundolo to be the manager of the U.S. U-23 national team that will represent the country at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Cherundolo, 47, is a three-time World Cup veteran, and member of the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame.

Through 2013, he amassed 415 appearances with German club Hannover 96, making him the longest serving American player in Bundesliga history. At international level, he made 87 appearances for the USMNT.

He was also part of the Concacaf Gold Cup winning team in 2005.

"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," Cherundolo said.

"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. Our responsibility is to compete with courage, humility, and a clear identity, one that reflects the values of U.S. Soccer and gives our supporters a team they can be proud of."

Following his retirement as a player in 2014, Cherundolo entered the coaching ranks, first with various youth teams at Hannover, and later serving as an assistant at Vfb Stuttgart, the USMNT alongside then-interim manager Dave Sarachan, and Germany's U-15 national team.

Cherundolo's first head coaching job came in 2021 with the Las Vegas Lights of the USL-Championship, which at the time was an affiliate of LAFC. After coaching the Lights for one season, Cherundolo was promoted to manage LAFC's first team, with immediate results.

The Black-and-Gold won a Supporters Shield and MLS Cup double in his first season in charge. He also won a U.S. Open Cup title in 2024 with LAFC. He had an overall record of 106-55-32 with the club. He stepped down after the 2025 season to return to Germany with his family.

"Throughout his career, Steve Cherundolo has been a proven winner, an elite talent developer, and a great ambassador for American soccer," said U.S. Soccer Federation chief operating officer Dan Helfrich, who led the coaching search.

"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. Steve's leadership will be instrumental in building an Olympic team that proudly represents U.S. Soccer. And he will work closely with both our Senior and Youth National team coaches in growing the game together."

Cherundolo's first task will be to hold identification camps in the coming months at the new U.S Soccer National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia. The U.S. has already qualified for the Olympics due to its status as the host country.

"Steve's extensive coaching experience and having gone through the American youth soccer system gives him a unique understanding of American and European style of play that will allow him to maximize and nurture the players' potential," said U.S. Soccer's vice president of sporting, Oguchi Onyewu.

"Having played alongside Steve in two World Cups, I have seen firsthand the impact he can have on the group. We are confident he is the right coach to lead this team in the 2028 Summer Olympics."

Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49314430/steve-cherundolo-manager-us-u23s-2028-la-olympics