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This should be an exciting and foreboding moment for the USA Men’s National Team. A new core of players performed admirably at the World Cup in Qatar and could take a step forward until 2026, when the U.S. will co-host the tournament with Canada and Mexico.
But instead of looking forward in anticipation, we are caught in a Shakespearean drama and the future is uncertain.
For those who need a quick recap: At the World Cup in Qatar, talented striker Gio Reyna showed an alarming lack of effort in training, which frustrated his teammates and coaches and contributed to his lower-than-expected playing time in the tournament. Reyna eventually apologized to the group and by all accounts, the team moved on.
Days after the USA’s elimination, head coach Gregg Berhalter detailed the saga at a management conference in New York City. of Berhalter The comments were supposed to be off the record and he never mentioned them Reyna by name, but they were nevertheless published in a newsletter after the event. And to anyone paying attention, it was clear who he was referring to.
Gio’s parents, Claudio and Danielle Reyna, upset that their son’s unprofessionalism was being aired publicly, called US Soccer sporting director Earnie Stewart to express their anger. Danielle told him about a 1991 domestic violence incident in which Gregg Berhalter hit his now-wife, Rosalind, when they were dating her while at the University of North Carolina.
“I told Earnie that I thought it was particularly unfair that Gio … was still being dragged through the mud when Gregg had asked for and received forgiveness for doing something much worse at the same age,” she said in a statement.
Stewart then took the allegation to his superiors at US Soccer, who hired an outside law firm to investigate further. And before long, all this became public.
The height of all this was how intertwined all these parties are. Gregg Berhalter and Claudio Reyna became friends playing under Claudio’s father on a youth team in northern New Jersey. They went to high school together and were teammates with the USA in two World Cups. Rosalind Berhalter and Danielle Reyna were good friends, roommates and soccer teammates at UNC. They kept their families close for the next 30 years. Stewart, too, has a long history with both families, playing with Claudio Reyna in three World Cups and with Gregg Berhalter in one.
Aside from Rosalind Berhalter and Stewart, almost everyone involved acted shamefully.
The lack of effort was completely unbecoming of 20-year-old Gio Reyna, whose extended win to not start the opener against Wales was disrespectful to his team-mates, coaches and players who narrowly missed out on the final list.
Talking about the situation in a room full of strangers was stupid by Gregg Berhalter. Regardless of the ground rules of the event, a US national team coach should know that revealing details inside the locker room in any unfamiliar environment can cause leaks.
It goes without saying that Gregg Berhalter’s abuse of Rosalind was reprehensible. She will always have to carry the trauma of the moment; he will have to live with his shame for the rest of his life. Knowing that should play a role in whether US Soccer keeps Berhalter, who was 18 when he abused Rosalind, as coach. The ongoing investigation must also examine what the federation knew about the incident when Berhalter was first hired in December 2018. At the time, Berhalter’s brother, Jay, was a high-ranking executive at the USSF, although Stewart was in charge of direct to employment.
Even the great Reynas should feel shame. Claudio Reyna admitted in a statement released earlier this month that he had been texting Stewart and USMNT general Brian McBride, another of his and Berhalter’s former USA teammates, about his frustration about his lack of playing time. Gios while in Qatar. This would be inappropriate behavior for a parent of a player under 12 years of age. For a former USMNT captain and current MLS sporting director, whose son was then at the World Cup, it was wildly inconvenient.
These types of actions appear to be part of a pattern for Reyna, who, as first reported from Fox Sports last Thursday and was later confirmed by sources for Athleticspreviously tried to influence then-US U-17 coach Raphael Wicky over his treatment of Gios at the 2019 U-17 World Cup.
Of course, none of this is as bad as Danielle Reyna detailing the incident in which Berhalter kicked Rosalind at Stewart. The issue is not about discovering the abuse, but how Danielle Reyna discovered it: without Rosalind’s consent.
In her statement, Danielle did not say she told Stewart of the abuse out of any concern for Rosalind, her friend of more than 30 years. She did not say she told Stewart because she thought Gregg was morally unfit to lead the USMNT. By her own admission, she naively didn’t even realize that what she said could trigger an investigation.
It didn’t seem to matter to her that it wasn’t her story to share. It didn’t matter that she was once close friends with Rosalind. It didn’t even matter that the Berhalters dealt with the incident, reconciled and seem to have had a long, happy and fruitful marriage. The only thing that seemed to matter to Danielle was that Gregg made some comments about her son’s poor behavior at the World Cup. That was enough for her to drag another family through the mud. What she did was evil, vindictive and completely blown out of proportion.
Parts of Danielle’s statement read as if she feels that those in her family are victims. This is laughable. The only victims here are Rosalind Berhalter and her children, who had to go through this unpleasant experience under some incredibly bright lights.
For others, the next period could be decisive, as the independent investigation commissioned by US Soccer is still open.
Berhalter wants to stay on as the U.S. coach, and Stewart told reporters he is still being considered, but there were legitimate questions even before this drama became public about whether he should be retained. The 2022 World Cup cycle was a strong but not overwhelming success on the pitch with a few missteps popping up along the way.
Players who have been asked about the scandal over the past two weeks have generally been supportive of Berhalter, but it’s possible that American legend DaMarcus Beasley mentioned on HBO Max’s postgame show after the U.S. women’s 4-0 win in New Zealand on Tuesday, that his comments at the leadership symposium hurt his standing in the locker room. U.S. Soccer may determine that Berhalter’s return would be too problematic, especially if the federation intends to focus entirely on building positive momentum ahead of 2026.
However, realistic alternatives to take over for Berhalter may be few and far between. First, coaching the USMNT could be a pretty boring prospect until 2026. As one of the host countries, there is no qualification for the USA and no guarantee that the Americans will participate in Copa America 2024. The only games meaningful for the U.S. men between now and the start of the next World Cup could be against regional competition in the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup. For famous and world-class managers, those tournaments probably won’t be as attractive. And for all we know, US Soccer, which has paid and continues to pay a mountain of legal fees thanks to various lawsuits and investigations, may not even be able to afford the kinds of salaries commanded by the top players in the market.
Claudio Reyna’s future could also be affected. According to a statement released by the federation on Jan. 3, during the course of the investigation, the USSF “learned of possible inappropriate behavior toward multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization. We take such behavior seriously and have expanded our investigation.” to include those charges.” Given his statement about texting Stewart and McBride and the reporting of his messages to Wicky at the U-17 World Cup, this extended reach could imply Reynaand may lead to consequences from Austin FC, his employer.
Reyna said in his statement that “at no time have I threatened anyone nor would I ever.” But if the investigation confirms instances of inappropriate behavior by Reyna, Austin should seriously consider whether they want to continue hiring him as athletic director.
As befits the rest of this story, there are also some interpersonal concerns at play in Austin, which is run by former All-American Josh Wolff. The two-time World Cup veteran came to the club after spending six years as Berhalter’s top lieutenant, first with Columbus, then with the USMNT. Additionally, Austin is owned by Anthony Precourt, who hired Berhalter in Columbus in November 2013. That’s a pair of individuals with deep ties to Berhalter on either side of Reyna on Austin’s organizational chart.
Austin, for what it’s worth, has already put some distance between them and Reyna — at least temporarily. Since January 5, the day after news broke that the Reynas were involved in the scandal, the club have not quoted Claudio in either of the two press releases related to the first-team roster, instead including the color from Wolff or director of player personnel Sean. Rubio. Under normal circumstances, Reyna is cited in announcements about the list. A club spokesman declined to comment on the reasoning behind the change when reached on Tuesday.
There are also questions to be answered about Gio Reyna. He’s still young and can certainly grow from his poor performance in Qatar, but not giving the right effort at the World Cup is a pretty significant red flag regardless of age. Reyna is talented, but the feeling that he deserved to start for an American team that he didn’t play a significant role in qualifying due to injuries suggests a fair degree of incongruity with what he’s actually done in the field. It also ignores the ability of wing-mates Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah, who started and performed well against Reyna in Qatar.
His first return to the U.S. locker room could be a little uncomfortable, too. It might not end up being a problem, but it’s not hard to imagine some of his teammates watching from the sidelines as his mom and dad escalated this drama.
If Reyna responds to this situation with humility, keeping his head down and using his considerable gifts to earn his place in the team, he will be good for both club and country. If he doesn’t, it could negatively affect his career.
More than anything, it’s an absurd, sad way for the U.S. men to end a relatively successful World Cup cycle and enter what should be an exciting time for the entire U.S. soccer community. We don’t know what will come of this madness, but we do know that what should have been a positive moment has already been indelibly tarnished.
GO DEEPER
Reyna’s mother reported the incident involving Berhalter and the woman to US Soccer
(Photo: Ercin Erturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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