It is not any secret that United States Men’s Soccer is in turmoil.
After being knocked out of the World Cup in Qatar, stress over the standing of Gio Reyna on the group boiled over into allegations of blackmail. As famous earlier this month, USMNT head coach. Gregg Berhalter opened up a couple of home violence incident from his faculty days, the place he kicked his now-wife Rosalind: “In the fall of 1991, I met my soulmate. I had just turned 18 and was a freshman in college when I met Rosalind. One night, while out drinking at a local bar, Rosalind and I had a heated argument that continued outside. It became physical and I kicked her in the legs.”
In bringing this incident to gentle, Berhalter acknowledged that he was doing so as a result of, in his phrases, “[d]uring the World Cup, an individual contacted U.S. Soccer, saying they had information about me that would “take me down” — an obvious effort to leverage one thing very private from way back to convey in regards to the finish of my relationship with U.S. Soccer.”
The different concerned events? Gio Reyna guardian’s, Danielle and Claudio Reyna.
The relationship between the households dates again a long time — Danielle and Rosalind had been faculty roommates, whereas Claudio and Berhalter performed collectively in highschool and on the USMNT — however has now fractured, threatening each their friendships and probably the USMNT.
In the center of that is Gio Reyna, the younger and proficient midfielder. As the USMNT tries to maneuver ahead, turning its collective consideration to internet hosting the 2026 World Cup, Reyna remains to be logging time for Borussia Dortmund within the Bundesliga.
And he appears to be placing all of the noise behind him.
In Sunday’s match towards Augsburg, Reyna got here on as a late substitute in a match that was degree. It didn’t take lengthy for him to vary that:
Reyna’s delicate first contact, and thunderous strike, put Dortmund forward within the closing minutes, and his aspect held on for the victory.
Then got here Wednesday, in stoppage time towards Mainz:
Two matches. Two winners from Reyna.
After the objective towards Augsburg, Reyna wheeled away in celebration, after which put his arms over his ears, as if he was bodily blocking out the noise. As he did, the commentator acknowledged “… and that is how to answer the critics.”
The USMNT could be coping with an inner cleaning soap opera in the mean time. But the younger participant within the center is quietly going about his enterprise … and going about it very properly.