The USSF has opened an investigation into Gregg Berhalter, accused of hitting the one who became his wife in 1991. He was denounced by the parents of the player Giovanni Reyna, unhappy with the management of their son during the World Cup in Qatar.
Eighth finalist disappointed in Qatar, the American selection is already looking at “its” 2026 World Cup, co-managed with Canada and Mexico. But more than three years from the deadline, there is already a big pitfall. Incredible, it was brought to light on Tuesday by the announcement of the American Soccer Federation (USSF) of the opening of an investigation concerning Gregg Berhalter, the coach of “Team USA”. The latter is accused of having kicked Rosalind, his girlfriend at the time, who has since become his wife, thirty years earlier (in 1991) in a bar.
‘A shameful moment’
The American Football Federation has decided to put Berhalter on temporary withdrawal and has entrusted his assistant Anthony Hudson with the task of leading the training camp scheduled for January, before friendly matches against Serbia on the 25th and Colombia on the 28th. As for Gregg Berhalter , in full negotiation to be extended at the head of the selection, he split a long message on Tuesday on the networks: “It was a shameful moment, which I still regret today, there is no excuse for what I did that night,” recognizes the one who swears the isolated and non-representative episode of his person.
Twenty-four hours after the announcement of the opening of an investigation, the whistleblowers have revealed their identity: it is Claudio Reyna – professional footballer in the years 1990-2000, former captain of Team USA and Berhalter’s teammate in the national team with whom he participated in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups – and his wife Danielle. The two former players have known each other since they were children, since they evolved in the same team of New Jersey, coached by the father of Claudio Reyna, then in their high school team at St Benedict’s, in Newark. Reyna was even Berhalter’s best man, if we judge the short biography of the latter on the website of the American federation.
The two wives, Danielle Reyna and Rosalind Berhalter, also completed part of their studies together at the University of North Carolina, where they were roommates and teammates in the same team. Danielle Reyna was also a women’s international six times in the 2000s.
family revenge
The Reynas are also the parents of Giovanni, 20, a promising Dortmund winger and member of the American team at the World Cup in Qatar. On the spot, his behavior would have displeased Gregg Berhalter and his staff to the point of limiting the player’s playing time. After the elimination of the United States, the coach explained that he had almost sent one of his players home during the competition because of his attitude. A vote was even organized among the players to record the fact of keeping it or not (it remained within one vote), but Berhalter did not reveal his identity. Giovanni Reyna later said on Instagram that it was him.
In statements to the magazine The Athletic and to ESPN, Danielle Reyna claims to have contacted the team’s sporting director, Earnie Stewart, a longtime friend, herself on December 11. A big week after the elimination of the United States in Qatar. She says she is furious that Berhalter did not grant her son the forgiveness she herself granted him for hitting her friend in 1991. “I found it particularly unfair that Gio, who had apologized for reacting immaturely to his poor playing time, was further dragged through the mud as Gregg sought and was granted forgiveness for having done so. much worse at the same age,” she detailed, saying she felt “personally betrayed” by the deeds of a man «[sa] family considered a friend for decades”.
“Minimised violence”
But without suspecting, she said, that her confidences would give birth to investigations into the episode in return. She swears she never asked for the head of the American coach. And clarifies that Berhalter’s description of the events that took place at the bar that evening “significantly minimizes the violence in question”, without providing further details.
The case arises, while women’s football across the Atlantic is upset by sexual violence “systemic” staffs on many players for years, brought to light in October by an independent investigation. A context of freedom of speech and salutary awareness. To see also how the case will reflect on Gio Reyna himself, who could be one of the key pieces of the workforce at the next World Cup.