Marsch is the coach of Austrian football team Red Bull Salzburg.

He criticised US Soccer on the Planet Fútbol Podcast, just a week after Cordeiro resigned following a backlash against disparaging comments made towards women in court papers submitted as part of an equal pay dispute.

"It’s been a source of pride for all of us Americans that these women are so good," said Marsch.

"They’re the best in the world, and frankly they’re heroes.

"And then to see the lawsuit, it’s saddening and disgusting—first that there’s been a group of lawyers who … have only thought so much about winning the case that they’ve lost perspective on what this group of women has done for people in our country. 

"And to refer to them that way, to speak about them that way, I think is a total lack of respect and intelligence."

Marsch went on to accuse US Soccer of a "lack of leadership", describing the situation as "disgusting."

"What’s more egregious is when I heard there were people in US Soccer’s headquarters that hadn’t read what the lawsuit was going to be, and maybe there are people who did and they allowed for that discourse to happen. 

"For me it’s a total lack of leadership, a total lack of judgement. 

"For me, it’s frankly disgusting." 

Cindy Parlow Cone, a former US international, has taken charge of the under-fire organisation following Cordeiro's decision to step down and becomes the first female President in the history of the body.

The papers filed by US Soccer said female players had less physical ability and responsibility than men, prompting widespread criticism from players, board members and sponsors.

They claimed the job of a footballer on the men's team "requires a higher level of skill based on speed and strength".

The US women's team are four-time world and Olympic champions and are currently ranked number one in the world.

Members of the team protested by turning their training tops inside-out during the warm-up before their SheBelieves Cup match with Japan in Texas this month. 

Megan Rapinoe, one of the stars of the American squad which won the Women's World Cup last year, said US Soccer had been "blatantly misogynistic and sexist".