USA Soccer drama: What has Gregg Berhalter, Claudio Reyna and others said about the scandal?
USA Soccer drama: What has Gregg Berhalter, Claudio Reyna and others said about the scandal?
From time to tome, things happen in football that bring the professional game back from the edges of outer space and down to earth, where us humans live. Sometimes a player mis-kicks a ball so terribly that you genuinely ‘could have hit it better’; sometimes Erling Haaland goes to the local supermarket; and sometimes, parents get involved with their children’s football career, way past normal levels.
Gregg Berhalter’s time as USMNT manager came to and end on 31 December, and since then the manager has been at the centre of a 30 year-old storm that was reignited by a mysterious, then-anonymous source, who contacted U.S. Soccer to tell of an incident in which the coach “kicked his wife in the leg”.
The full story of Berhalter’s long statement acknowledging the event is here, but in the aftermath, things have unfolded in the most dramatic of manners. It has been reported that the mystery tell-tale was none other than Danielle Reyna, mother of Borussia Dortmund and USMNT winger, Gio Reyna.
The origins of the dispute
News outlet ESPN said “U.S. Soccer did not receive any information about the claims against Berhalter until 11 December when an executive was informed in a call with Claudio and Danielle Reyna that Berhalter, 49, had a past domestic violence incident.”
The call came after 20 year-old Gio Reyna was informed that his role at the Qatar World Cup 2022 would be limited. Upon hearing this, Reyna admitted he did not respond well, saying on Instagram that “I let my emotions get the best of me and affect my training and behavior for a few days ... I apologized to my teammates and coach for this, and I was told I was forgiven.”
What did Gio Reyna’s parents say?
On 4 January, Gio Reyna’s mother said in a statement: “I thought it was especially unfair that Gio, who had apologized for acting immaturely about his playing time, was still being dragged through the mud when Gregg had asked for and received forgiveness for doing something so much worse at the same age.
Claudio Reyna, Gio’s father, admitted to talking to USMNT general manager Brian McBride, but claimed he did not threaten to share allegations about Berhalter’s past, despite ESPN sources telling otherwise: “While in Qatar, I shared my frustrations about my son’s World Cup experience with a number of close friends, Earnie and Brian McBride among them,” he said, “however, at no time did I ever threaten anyone, nor would I ever do so.”
Where next for the USMNT?
On Wednesday it was announced that Gregg Berhalter’s replacement would be Anthony Hudson, who would act as an interim replacement until a permanent coach is found. He will be in charge for the upcoming Janaury friendlies against Serbia and Colombia.
Hudson served as assistant to Berhalter since 2021; before becoming a part of the USMNT’s backroom team, the 41 year-old was head coach of US Under-20s.
