Gregg Berhalter renews his title as 'striker whisperer'

Cuypers arrived in MLS in 2024 with a massive $12 million transfer fee and a questionable goal-scoring record. The 27-year-old scored just six goals for Belgian team Gent in the 2023-24 season and didn't do much better in his first season in Chicago, netting just 10 goals in 31 games in the Windy City in 2024. 

2025, though? That's been a completely different story. Cuypers has eight goals in twelve games and he's pushing Chicago up the Eastern Conference table. He's outperforming all his MLS peers and he's earned every penny of his $12 million transfer fee. Cuypers credits new coach Gregg Berhalter, formerly of the U. S. Men's National Team, for much of his good form.

“His way of playing is pretty clear for us as a team. It's what we needed after a lack of maybe stability or identity last year, that players could fall back into a clear identity," Cuypers said.,, via Charles Boehm of the MLS website. "And then it's up to us to execute it on the pitch. But it surely makes it easier when the guidelines are clear.”

Many American soccer fans only know Berhalter for his unfortunate stint with the USMNT, and that's a shame. He's an intelligent coach with a strong record of success in MLS. Berhalter has many talents as a leader, but none shine stronger than his ability to develop strikers like Cuypers. The Belgian is the third consecutive MLS scorer that Berhalter has turned into a league-leading talent.

Berhalter's first striker project came in 2015, when MLS legend Kei Kamara arrived at the Columbus Crew. Kamara was coming off two middling seasons in Kansas City (11 goals in 2012, seven goals in 2013) and a failed loan spell in England (four goals with Middlesbrough in 2014.) Berhalter thought a simple switch—moving Kamara from a rangy wide role to an old-school down-the-middle striking position—might unlock  Kamara, and he was right. Kamara scored 22 goals in MLS in 2015.

Berhalter repeated the trick in 2018, when Gyasi Zardes arrived in Columbus from the L.A. Galaxy. Once hyped as the next great American striker, Zardes's career had stuttered to a halt within the Galaxy system. He scored just eight goals across three seasons before being shipped to Ohio.

Zardes needed a confidence boost, and Berhalter gave it to him. He took the "next big thing" weight off Zardes's shoulders and had him focus on helping the team instead. The results spoke for themselves: in his debut season with Columbus, Zardes scored 19 goals and won MLS's coveted Comeback Player of the Year award. He even earned himself a starting spot in the front line of the USMNT.

With Cuypers, Berhalter is at it again. 

“Hugo is an interesting one. Really is one of the most focused players I've ever seen, I've ever been around,” he said, via Boehm. "I'm amazed watching him in the penalty box, how he finishes, how he's able to put the ball on target with no time, under a lot of pressure. So to me, there's just a lot of upside with him.”

If Berhalter can do with Cuypers what he did with Kamara and Zardes, then the Chicago Fire just might have the oomph to make the MLS Playoffs for the first time since 2017. The club already beat league leader Vancouver and held Messi's Inter Miami to a 0-0 draw. The sky is the limit for Berhalter and his men.

The Chicago Fire will return to MLS action on Saturday, May 17 against Charlotte FC.