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Associated Press
Vlatko Andonovski earned $357,597 over his first full year as the United States women’s coach, less than 28% of the $1,291,539 that went to men’s coach Gregg Berhalter.
The figures were revealed in the U.S. Soccer Federation’s tax filing for the year ending on March 31, 2021, which was released Wednesday.
Berhalter’s salary was roughly the same as the $1,294,871 he earned in the previous 12 months. He was the USSF’s highest-paid employee.
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Andonovski, hired in October 2019, earned about half of the $718,352 made by his predecessor, Jill Ellis, in the year ending March 31, 2020, but that fiscal year included the Women’s World Cup, where the Americans won their fourth title. U.S. coaches’ contracts contain large bonuses for World Cup performance.
Ellis, listed as an ambassador and former key employee, earned $413,440 in the latest fiscal year under a contract that ended in March 2021.
This latest disclosure follows the trend of past years where the USMNT coach earned more — sometimes multiples more — than the coach of the USWNT. The federation’s 2020 tax filings found that Berhalter had earned in one month nearly what U.S. Soccer had paid Ellis for an entire year of work.
In Wednesday’s filings, former men’s player Earnie Stewart, promoted in August 2019 to federation sporting director from men’s national team general manager, earned $799,699, up from $731,261. Brian McBride, also a former men’s player who replaced Stewart as GM in January 2020, earned $338,417.
Women’s team general manager Kate Markgraf earned $500,000. She also has the title of head of women’s football, and her duties include interacting with FIFA, CONCACAF and national associations.
Stewart was originally hired in 2018 as a general manager for the senior men’s team at a salary of $700,000, according to sources. Markgraf was hired in 2019 with the same “general manager” title — although she was tasked with a larger role of overseeing the entire women’s program, including youth teams — but her salary was much lower than Stewart’s at around $500,000.
Sources have said that U.S. Soccer promoted Stewart to larger role of overseeing the entire federation due to concerns about the poor optics of paying Stewart so much more for the same job title as Markgraf held. Stewart’s promotion bumped his salary up to around $800,000, the sources said.
U.S. Soccer is still facing a lawsuit from the USWNT alleging gender discrimination and unequal pay.
Will Wilson, hired as chief executive officer in March 2020, earned $414,270. His predecessor, Dan Flynn, was listed at $242,353 as an ambassador and former officer.
Cindy Parlow Cone, the USSF president, does not receive a salary. A bylaw amendment proposed by the federation’s rules committee would establish a $125,000 annual salary for the federation president. The amendment is to be considered during the federation’s annual general meeting, scheduled for March 3-6 in Atlanta.
John Cone, her husband, received $112,606 as payment and expense reimbursement for his work with the USSF coaching education team.
Brian Remedi, fired as chief administrative officer after Wilson was brought in, earned $457,949.
Jay Berhalter, brother of the men’s coach, earned $209,385. He was the USSF’s No. 2 as chief commercial and strategy officer before leaving in February 2020. He earned $614,054 in the previous fiscal year.
Lydia Wahlke, who resigned as chief legal officer in May 2020 after backlash against sexist legal filings the USSF made in the equal pay lawsuit, was paid $323,271.
Earnings were listed for several of the players on the U.S. women team, including Alyssa Naeher ($255,783), Julie Ertz ($254,945), Becky Sauerbrunn ($254,533), Abby Dahlkemper ($253,283) and Crystal Dunn ($253,283).
Eligible players for the women’s national team are guaranteed a $100,000 salary plus bonuses for appearances, wins and draws. The fiscal year included bonuses for Olympic qualifying and the SheBelieves Cup.
ESPN FC writer Caitlin Murray contributed to this story.
