US Women’s National Team Coach Resigns after Early World Cup Exit

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Round of 16 - Sweden v United States - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia - August 6, 2023 US coach Vlatko Andonovski waves after being knocked out of the World Cup REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Round of 16 - Sweden v United States - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia - August 6, 2023 US coach Vlatko Andonovski waves after being knocked out of the World Cup REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo
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US Women’s National Team Coach Resigns after Early World Cup Exit

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Round of 16 - Sweden v United States - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia - August 6, 2023 US coach Vlatko Andonovski waves after being knocked out of the World Cup REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Round of 16 - Sweden v United States - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia - August 6, 2023 US coach Vlatko Andonovski waves after being knocked out of the World Cup REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo

US women's national team coach Vlatko Andonovski has resigned, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The move comes less than two weeks after the Americans were knocked out of the Women's World Cup earlier than ever before.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the move had not been officially announced.

The four-time tournament champions struggled throughout the World Cup. A victory over Vietnam to kick off the group stage was followed by a pair of draws against Netherlands and Portugal — barely enough to get the team into the knockout stage.

The Americans played well in the Round of 16 against Sweden, but ultimately fell on penalties after a scoreless tie. The US scored just four goals over the course of the tournament.

The United States had never finished worse that third at the World Cup.

The 46-year-old Andonovski was named coach of the United States in October 2019, taking over for Jill Ellis, who led the United States to back-to-back World Cup titles. He finished 51-5-9 during his time with the team, and was 3-2-5 in major tournaments.

Following the match against Sweden, Andonovski said he wasn’t thinking about his future with the team — only his young players. Fourteen players on the US roster were appearing in their first World Cup, and 12 of them had never played in a major tournament.



Sweet Dreams Power Cobolli’s Wimbledon Surge

Italy's Flavio Cobolli celebrates after victory over Croatia's Marin Cilic during their men's singles fourth round tennis match on the eighth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2025. (AFP)
Italy's Flavio Cobolli celebrates after victory over Croatia's Marin Cilic during their men's singles fourth round tennis match on the eighth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2025. (AFP)
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Sweet Dreams Power Cobolli’s Wimbledon Surge

Italy's Flavio Cobolli celebrates after victory over Croatia's Marin Cilic during their men's singles fourth round tennis match on the eighth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2025. (AFP)
Italy's Flavio Cobolli celebrates after victory over Croatia's Marin Cilic during their men's singles fourth round tennis match on the eighth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2025. (AFP)

Flavio Cobolli is living proof that, at Wimbledon, a good night’s sleep might be the ultimate performance enhancer.

The 23-year-old Italian crashed into his first Grand Slam quarter-final on Monday with a fearless win over Marin Cilic and was quick to credit his new, improved lodgings for feeling great.

Cobolli, who has been wielding his fluorescent orange racket with the bravado of a man on a mission, revealed afterwards that his Wimbledon campaign nearly derailed over that classic London problem: the flat that just was not quite right.

“I had some problem with my first house but now I find the great solution. I slept well. I have a great relationship with the guy that I rent the apartment. Now I'm in good shape,” he grinned.

Pressed for details, Cobolli confessed it was less luxury penthouse and more hot box at the start. “Was too hot and a little bit small. But yeah, now I found the right solution,” he explained, with a shrug that said it all. A quick switch, a friendly landlord, and suddenly Cobolli was sleeping soundly.

With the off-court drama sorted, the on-court heroics followed: Cobolli carved up Cilic in four sets, looking every inch the man at home in SW19. Sometimes all it takes to become a Wimbledon quarter-finalist is a bigger room, a cooler breeze —and a landlord who answers his phone.