The cloud hanging over the U.S. Soccer program grew larger and darker Wednesday.
ESPN reported that former U.S. star Claudio Reyna and his wife Danielle, the parents of current national team player Gio Reyna, had revealed a 1991 domestic violence incident involving men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter to the soccer organization in retaliation over his treatment of their son.
The controversy started Tuesday with Berhalter dislcosing a physical dispute with his now-wife, along with claims someone reported the incident to U.S. Soccer. Berhalter said in a Twitter post that the individual said “they had information about me that would take me down” and “bring about the end of my relationship with U.S. Soccer.”
One day later, Danielle Reyna said in a statement that she was the person who spoke to U.S. Soccer sporting director and former national team player Earnie Stewart about the 31-year-old confrontation between Berhalter, then 18, and his current wife Rosalind.
Danielle Reyna said she was upset because of post-World Cup statements Berhalter made about her son, even though the head coach never identified Gio Reyna by name.
“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,” she said.
U.S. Soccer said Tuesday that it received calls on Dec. 11, the same day Berhalter, speaking at a summit on moral leadership, said a player was almost sent home from the World Cup in Qatar due to poor performance. All signs pointed toward that player being Gio Reyna, who had a limited role in the World Cup.
“I did call Earnie Stewart on December 11, just after the news broke that Gregg had made negative statements about my son Gio at a leadership conference,” Danielle Reyna said. “I have known Earnie for years and consider him to be a close friend. I wanted to let him know that I was absolutely outraged and devastated that Gio had been put in such a terrible position, and that I felt very personally betrayed by the actions of someone my family had considered a friend for decades.”
The Reynas and Berhalters have a long history. Danielle Reyna (nee Egan) and Rosalind Berhalter (nee Santana) were soccer teammates at the University of North Carolina at the time of the domestic violent incident, in which Gregg Berhalter admitted kicking Rosalind in the legs during an argument.
Claudio Reyna, currently the sporting director for Austin FC in the MLS, and Gregg Berhalter were high school and national team teammates.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, U.S. Soccer announced it had selected Anthony Hudson to serve as the coach for the upcoming men’s national team camp and exhibition games, replacing Berhalter while an investigation and review of the men’s national team is underway. Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of 2022.
Hudson, 41, led the U.S. U-20 men’s teams in 2020 and 2021 and last year was an assistant to Berhalter for the World Cup. Hudson’s coaching experience also includes time in Major League Soccer with the Colorado Rapids (2017-19) and leading the national teams of Bahrain and New Zealand.
Hudson will be joined by B.J. Callaghan, another of Berhalter’s assistants, and current U-20 national team coach Mikey Varas. The trio will select the roster for the camp and games against Serbia, on Jan. 25 at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, and Colombia, on Jan. 28 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.
