United States women’s soccer team head coach Vlatko Andonovski has resigned from his position, according to an Associated Press source familiar with the matter.
The decision comes less than two weeks after the national team was defeated in the Round of 16 of the Women’s World Cup by Sweden. The loss was seen as a major letdown as the U.S. were the favorite to win the entire tournament, having won in 2015 and 2019.
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Andonovski, 46, took over after the U.S.’s triumphant repeat in 2019 from Jill Ellis, who steered the team to the back-to-back world victories. He finished with an overall record of 51-5-9 and was 3-2-5 in major tournaments. Under his helm at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the U.S. finished third.
The U.S. never quite looked right during the Women’s World Cup, which began in July in Australia and New Zealand. Though they won their first match 3-0, they tied their next two, coming extremely close to not even advancing out of the group stage.
In the next round, which began single elimination, they faced Sweden, playing well in the match but not finding the back of the net. The game moved to penalties, and the U.S. lost. They previously had never finished below third in the competition, which began in 1991 and runs every four years.
After the U.S.’s loss against Sweden, Andonovski said he wasn’t thinking about his future, instead focusing on his team, especially the young players, of whom 14 were playing in their first World Cup.
“We spent four years together. They got their first caps with me; they got their first national-team call-ups with me,” Andonovski reportedly said. “We spent tough times, good times. I don’t want to see them like that. That’s all I think about.”
Spain and England play in the tournament’s final on Sunday, and whoever wins will lift the trophy for the first time.
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The USWNT was criticized after the defeat to Sweden, with some pundits and public figures saying certain players’ progressive politics were a distraction and a cause for the loss.
The U.S. will now focus on finding a new coach before the 2024 Olympics in France, having already qualified.
