US coach resigns due to failure in 2023 Women's World Cup

Coming to the tournament as the defending champion, the US is considered the number one candidate. However, they went through the group stage in an unconvincing way when they respectively won 3-0 Vietnam, drew the Netherlands 1-1 and Portugal 0-0. In the eighth round with second place in Group E, the US competed against Sweden but ultimately lost 4-5 in the penalty shootout, in which the legendary Megan Rapinoe missed one of the three. This defeat ended the cycle of success for American women's football, while at the same time saying goodbye to many icons.

Coach Andonovski's contract with the team also expires at the end of 2023. He received a lot of criticism with his decisions throughout the tournament, related to squad selection, substitutions, tactics with each game. Assistant coach Twila Kilgore has been appointed as an interim coach, towards two friendly matches against South Africa on September 21 and September 24.

Coach Andonovski succeeded Jill Ellis in October 2019 and did not win a major tournament. The best achievement is the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Including the Olympics and the World Cup, the US won only four out of 10 matches under the 46-year-old leader.

Andonovski's departure took place in the context of the American Football League's many ups and downs. Earlier this year, Athletic Director Earnie Stewart and men's team manager Brian McBride quit.

Former coach Jill Ellis said the US needs to find the best coach regardless of gender. Since 2000, all women's teams that have won the World Cup, Euros and Olympic Games have been led by female coaches. The 2023 World Cup can prolong this story when coach Sarnia Wiegman and England face Spain with coach Jorge Vilda in the final.