USMNT: Berhalter makes stance clear on Gio Reyna relationship

June 17, 2023 6:59 pmJune 17, 20236:59 pm

"US soccer player Giovanni Reyna during a training with his German team, Borussia Dortmund" by verchmarco is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Berhalter has returned to the national team after a controversial rift with Reyna’s family.

Greg Berhalter has admitted “there’s work to do” to repair his relationship with Gio Reyna at the U.S. men’s national team.

On Friday, U.S. Soccer officially rehired Berhalter as their new manager. The decision came six months after the 49-year-old left the national team in the aftermath of his side’s World Cup campaign in Qatar.

Most observers expected the USMNT to extend Berhalter’s contract after the games. But a domestic violence case initiated by Gio Reyna’s family ultimately saw the manager part ways with the national team.

Speaking in his first press conference after returning to USMNT, Berhalter said on his relationship with Reyna: “I’d certainly acknowledge that there’s work to do, and Gio is an important player to this team.

“He’s an extremely talented individual, and I have the obligation and the commitment to coach him like I coach every other player, and I want to get the best out of him.

“We want to get the best out of him, and we know that if we can unlock his talents, he’s going to be a game changer for this program.

“So there’s work to do, and part of it is working together with [sporting director] Matt [Crocker] and trying to rebuild a relationship that we know will be important moving forward.”