Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
Can Cherundolo end this charmed run a champion?
Los Angeles Times
|November 22, 2025
When Steve Cherundolo was hired as coach of LAFC, he didn’t know how long he'd stay.
SHAUN CLARK Getty Images STEVE CHERUNDOLO will step down as LAFC's coach when the season ends.
He knows now.
Cherundolo announced in April that this season, his fourth with the club, would be his last. And the end of that season is finally in sight heading into Saturday's playoff game in Vancouver.
“Yes, of course it feels real,” Cherundolo said last week.
Real enough that Cherundolo is coaching not only to make history but also to extend his time with LAFC. A loss in Vancouver or in the Western Conference final would end the season and Cherundolo’s time with the team.
Two victories, however, would take him to the championship game next month, making him just the second coach to take a team to three MLS Cup finals in his first four seasons in the league.
“It doesn’t really concern me,” Cherundolo said of his legacy. “I'm concerned about winning games, more importantly the next one. You just kind of treat it that way the entire time. And then, when you're done, you can be happy with that result.”
Regardless of how this ends, Cherundolo’s place in MLS history is secure.
He's the only coach to win an MLS title and a Supporter's Shield in his first season and he had the most wins (29), most points (96) and best winning percentage through 50 games of any coach in league history.
He also won a U.S. Open Cup and took his team to a CONCACAF Champions League final. By beating Mexico's Club América in a one-game playoff this year, he earned his team a $10-million bonus by qualifying for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Not bad for a guy whose only previous managerial job with a senior team was a 6-23-3 season with the Las Vegas Lights, then LAFC's affiliate in the second-tier USL Championship.
"It has been really, really special," LAFC co-president Larry Freedman said of Cherundolo's tenure. "You never know until the person is in the seat doing the job, making the decisions.
This story is from the November 22, 2025 edition of Los Angeles Times.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
HOW TO HAVE THE BEST SUNDAY IN L.A., ACCORDING TO MARTIN STARR
PANCAKES AND A BEACHSIDE WALK ARE PART OF A PERFECT DAY
4 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
LAFD records don't match account
Logs show no deep mop-up of Lachman smolder fire, as the department had said.
5 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
Why this chef serves up noodle soup every Thanksgiving
DIEGO ARGOTI WHIPS UP SOME OF THE CITY'S MOST CREATIVE, T-DAY-INSPIRED RAMEN FOR THOSE IN NEED.
6 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
Ex-leader of Bruins’ NIL group denies misdeeds
He says there is no impropriety tied to funds reportedly sent through his nonprofit.
4 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will quit Congress
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a once-loyal supporter of President Trump who has become a critic, said Friday that she is resigning from Congress in January.
5 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
Current Rams remind many of the famed 'Fearsome Foursome' of 1960s
“The coolest part about it is we're talking about that group 50 to 60 years later,” Fiske said. “I mean, that’s unbelievable. ... For a whole group to make their mark on something that is still considered one of the best is something we chase.”
3 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
Harden’s 55 lift Clippers after Paul hints at retirement
James Harden made 10 three-pointers and scored a team-record 55 points, and the Clippers beat the Charlotte Hornets 131, 116 on Saturday, hours after 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul released a video on social media hinting at retirement after the season.
1 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
Bolsonaro accused of plotting to escape
Brazil's federal police Saturday arrested former President Jair Bolsonaro over suspicion he was plotting to escape and avoid starting a 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt.
3 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
Oklahoma one win closer to CFP
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP
3 mins
November 23, 2025
Los Angeles Times
In fight for rights, he's got cleats on the ground
Rams’ Turner will be supporting immigrant rights foundation with his footwear Sunday.
3 mins
November 23, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size