Gregg Berhalter And Gio Reyna Trying To Repair USMNT Relationship
The aftermath of the World Cup has been quite dramatic for the USMNT.
Head coach Gregg Berhalter was essentially suspended after an incident from his past was brought to light by an outside party. Turns out that outside party was former friend and teammate Claudio Reyna, father of current USMNT star Gio Reyna. Frustrated with Gio's lack of playing time in the World Cup, the Reyna family essentially went after Berhalter.
After releasing a public statement and being cleared by U.S. Soccer though, he was rehired to lead the team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. With Reyna expected to play a significant role in the team going forward, that set up a difficult, potentially confrontational reunion between Berhalter and Reyna.
Sure enough, as of just a few months ago, the two hadn't spoken.
But with the USMNT playing a friendly against Germany on Saturday, calling up much of their A team, it wasn't certain whether or not Reyna would see the field. Before the match, which ended in a 3-1 win for Germany, Berhalter told reporters their relationship was progressing.
"We're moving forward. I'm not really to talk too much about the past," he said. "I think it's about talking about the future."
DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 03: Giovanni Reyna (7) and head coach Gregg Berhalter (R) of USA during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Netherlands and USA at Khalifa International Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Ercin Erturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
USMNT Future Depends On Repairing Relationship
For the U.S. Men's National Team to go where it wants to go, toward legitimate contention for the 2026 World Cup, Reyna and Berhalter have to have a functioning relationship.
Reyna has dealt with injuries, but remains one of the more promising attacking options for the U.S. team, and Berhalter's now likely to continue leading the team into the near future. Reyna did play 45 minutes before coming off at halftime Saturday, seemingly signaling some positive momentum between the two.
Berhalter complimented Reyna's work in training ahead of the match as well.
"I think Gio's done a great job in training, really sharp, really strong," he said. "We see his quality, and for us it's about how do we build him up. same way, we have other players in the squad. It's to get the most out of him, to help the team the most and for him to return to Dortmund in really good shape, to keep pushing forward."
Christian Pulisic also said the two have made progress.
"That's old news," Pulisic explained. "I mean, I haven't even thought of it to be honest. Everything's going smooth. Gio's a great player and he's right back where he left off, so I think everything is going well."
While the U.S. clearly has lots to figure out ahead in the months and years ahead, repairing this relationship is of vital importance moving forward. And it seems like it's off to a decent start.