U.S. Soccer Salaries Revealed: What Federation Paid Berhalter, Ellis, Arena and Klinsmann

Tax returns show compensation figures for the year ending on March 31, 2019, and they reveal that Gregg Berhalter made in four months almost as much as Jill Ellis made in a full year.
U.S. Soccer Salaries Revealed: What Federation Paid Berhalter, Ellis, Arena and Klinsmann
U.S. Soccer Salaries Revealed: What Federation Paid Berhalter, Ellis, Arena and Klinsmann /

NEW YORK (AP) – American men’s soccer coach Gregg Berhalter earned nearly as much from the U.S. Soccer Federation in his first four months than women’s counterpart Jill Ellis took home in 12.

Berhalter, hired on Dec. 2, 2018, had compensation of $304,113 from the USSF in the year ending last March 31, according to the tax return released by the federation on Wednesday. That figure included a $200,000 signing bonus.

Ellis, who became women's coach in May 2014, had compensation of $390,409 in the fiscal year. She went on to lead the Americans to their second straight World Cup title, was voted FIFA Women's Coach of the Year, then left in October. Any bonus she earned as a result of the title likely will be listed on the next year's tax return.

Her base salary was raised to $500,000 in late 2018, a person with knowledge of her contract told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the USSF has not announced that.

The USSF has said she was the highest-paid women's coach in the world.

Tab Ramos, who was the men's under-20 team coach before leaving in October to become coach of Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo, outearned Ellis with compensation of $460,772.

Ellis did earn more than Earnie Stewart ($291,667), hired as men's general manager in June 2018, and Dave Sarachan ($241,869), interim men's national team coach from October 2017 until Berhalter was hired.

Jürgen Klinsmann, fired as men's coach in November 2016, was paid $1,475,000 on Feb. 1, 2018. He received $3,354,167 in the year ending March 31, 2018.

Bruce Arena, who replaced Klinsmann and led the men's team through its failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup , was not listed on the latest return. He received $1,249,348 in the year ending March 31, 2018, which included what was listed on that return as a $300,000 settlement.

Earnings were listed for several of the players on the U.S. women team, including Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd (both $313,390), Crystal Dunn ($312,142), Lindsey Horan ($304,142) and Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher and Megan Rapinoe (all $304,140).

Their salaries ranged from $164,642 to $171,140 and include $100,000 for time with the national team. The remainder is what the federation pays for the time with clubs in the National Women's Soccer League.

Bonuses were from $133,000 to $146,000 and include per match fees and the payment for qualifying for the 2019 World Cup.

Women's national team players have filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the USSF that is scheduled for trial starting May 5 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

The top two salaries of the administrative staff were chief executive officer Dan Flynn ($899,440) and chief commercial and strategy officer Jay Berhalter ($779,765), the coach's brother. Flynn retired in September and the federation said Jay Berhalter is leaving at the end of February.


Published