Parents of benched US soccer star tried to blackmail coach into playing son at World Cup

Jack Birle

January 04, 05:44 PM January 04, 05:44 PM

The parents of American soccer player Giovanni Reyna allegedly contacted the U.S. Soccer Federation with allegations of abuse by coach Greg Berhalter toward his current wife in 1991.

The alleged blackmailing attempt came after Reyna saw less playing time during the World Cup. Berhalter then revealed details of the allegations against him in a lengthy statement on Twitter.

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"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," Berhalter said. "The lessons learned from that night over three decades ago became the foundation for a loving, devoted, and supportive relationship, which we honored and celebrated with our 25th wedding anniversary this past weekend."

In response to Berhalter's statement, Reyna's mother, Danielle Reyna, responded by saying she had reported the allegations to U.S. Soccer in December and that she was disappointed with how her son was treated during the World Cup.

"Without going into detail, the statements from yesterday significantly minimize the abuse on the night in question. Rosalind Berhalter was my roommate, teammate and best friend, and I supported her through the trauma that followed," Danielle Reyna said in a statement per ESPN.

U.S. Soccer said in a statement Tuesday they had opened an investigation into the allegations and that a separate review is underway evaluating Berhalter's future as coach with the team after his performance in the World Cup.

"We appreciate Gregg and Rosalind coming forward to speak openly about this incident. Consistent with our commitment to transparency, we will share the results of the investigation publicly when it is complete. U.S. Soccer condemns violence of any kind and takes such allegations very seriously," the organization said.

This is the latest incident involving Reyna and comes a month after reports surfaced that he was the player Berhalter almost sent home during the World Cup for a lack of effort.