U.S. Soccer independent investigation casts Reynas in unflattering light

U.S. Soccer independent investigation casts Reynas in unflattering light,The investigation cleared Gio Reyna and Berhalter of wrongdoing and makes it clear that both still have futures with U.S. Soccer. Claudio and Danielle Reyna, meanwhile, may not.

U.S. Soccer independent investigation casts Reynas in unflattering light

The U.S. Soccer Federation released the findings Monday of an independent investigation into a feud between former U.S men’s national team player Claudio Reyna and ex-USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.

It didn’t cast Reyna and his wife, Danielle, in a flattering light.

Tensions rose between the two former friends during the 2022 World Cup, when Berhalter didn’t name the Reynas’ son, Gio, to the U.S. starting lineup versus Wales.

Berhalter later said that Gio’s lackadaisical attitude in training led to his benching. In turn, Reyna and his wife, both furious on behalf of their son, leaked details of Berhalter’s alleged domestic violence against his wife Rosalind in 1991.

While the independent investigation found that the alleged assault occurred, it also found that it happened once, when both parties were inebriated teens, and that Berhalter’s record was otherwise spotless.

“U.S. Soccer takes seriously both allegations of violence and allegations of inappropriate behavior toward our officials and staff,” the federation said in a statement. “Given the investigators’ conclusion that there is no legal impediment to employing him, Gregg Berhalter remains a candidate to serve as head coach of the Men’s National Team.”

The investigation wasn’t so kind to Claudio and Danielle Reyna. It concluded they had bullied, manipulated and undermined members of the U.S. Soccer Federation since 2016.

The Reynas, the investigation found, took issue with everything from female referees to Berhalter’s World Cup selections.

Claudio Reyna in an email to U.S. Soccer in 2018 about a female referee in a match involving Gio Reyna:
“Can we get real and have male refs for a game like this. Its embarrassing guys. What are we trying to prove? A game like this deserves better attention.” pic.twitter.com/MoKENIsgjZ
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) March 13, 2023

“What a complete and utter f—ing joke,” Claudio Reyna told the U.S. Soccer Federation after the Wales match. “Our family is disgusted in case you were wondering. Disgusted at how a coach is allowed to never be challenged and do what he wants.”

Danielle Reyna, a former U.S. women’s national team player, added a veiled threat against Berhalter, saying, “Once this tournament is over, I can make one phone call and give one interview, and his cool sneakers and bounce passes will be gone.”

These quotes show that the Reynas aired Berhalter’s regrettable teen moment not out of a sense of duty, but rather to punish Berhalter for perceived slights against their son.

Gio Reyna, for his part, apologized for his attitude in Qatar. The investigation cleared him and Berhalter of wrongdoing and makes it clear that both still have futures with U.S. Soccer.

Claudio and Danielle Reyna, meanwhile, may not.

While the investigation did not find them guilty of anything illegal, it found their behavior reminiscent of something many Americans will recognize as insidious: overbearing youth soccer parenting.

In their hell-bent approach to support their son’s career, they nearly found a way to end it altogether.

Gio Reyna remains at Borussia Dortmund in Germany, where his club is challenging Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title.

Claudio Reyna, despite the embarrassing findings of the investigation, remains a technical advisor at Austin FC — for now.