Jurgen Klinsmann still highest-paid coach, and other eyebrow-raisers from U.S. Soccer’s latest tax filing
The highest-paid U.S. Soccer coach in 2018 wasn’t Jill Ellis, who led the women’s national team, or Gregg Berhalter, who was appointed to lead the men’s national team.
It was someone who hadn’t been with the U.S. Soccer Federation for years.
Jurgen Klinsmann, who was fired as the men’s team coach in 2016, earned $1.475 million in 2018, according to U.S. Soccer’s latest tax filings, via the Washington Post. Klinsmann was fired that fall but still had time left on his contract with the organization. In total, per the report, Klinsmann has earned more than $4.8 million since he was let go.
Ellis’ base salary in 2018 was $389,409, which was about $100,000 more than she made the previous year and by far the highest in the world for a women’s national team coach, per the report. The team shined that year, too, going unbeaten in its 20 matches and qualifying the 2019 World Cup in France — which it eventually won.
Ellis stepped down from her post last fall after winning back-to-back World Cup titles. She did receive a raise last year, though it was not reported on the latest tax records, which is believed to have pushed her base salary to $500,000.
According to the Washington Post, the records revealed that full-time players on the women’s team earned nearly $170,000 in base salary in 2018 and earned up to $146,000 in bonuses. Those players filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the USSF last year in an effort to achieve equal pay. Mediation between the two sides broke down late last year.
Berhalter, who was hired for the men’s job in December 2018, was paid $304,113 and received a $200,000 signing bonus and an extra $104,113 in salary and moving expenses. His salary for 2019 wasn’t reported, but it’s believed he made between $1 million and $1.2 million, per the Washington Post.
Bruce Arena, who served as the coach for less than a year between Klinsmann and Berhalter before stepping down after the USMNT failed to reach the 2018 World Cup, earned $1.275 million. Interim coach Dave Sarachan earned nearly $240,000 after his departure.
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