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Gio Reyna has broken his silence in a statement on Instagram following the bombshell reports about his fractured relationship with USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.
Reyna admitted he was emotional and lacked motivation, but added that he was told before the World Cup that his role would be limited and that all team disputes would be kept ‘in house’.
Multiple players on the USMNT have ‘liked’ Reyna’s post, including teammates at the World Cup such as Joe Scally, Yunus Musah and Tim Ream.
USMNT winger Gio Reyna gave his recollection of events on Instagram this Monday
‘I hoped not to comment on matters at the World Cup,’ Reyna stated. ‘It is my belief that things that happen in a team setting ought to remain private. That being said, statements have been made that reflect on my professionalism and character, so I feel the need to make a brief statement.
‘Just before the World Cup, Coach Berhalter told me that my role at the tournament would be very limited. I was devasated. I am someone who plays with pride and passion.
‘Soccer is my life, and I believe in my abilities. I fully expected and desperately wanted to contribute to the play of a talented group as we tried to make a statement at the World Cup.
Select passages from Reyna’s Instagram post highlight his frustration with Gregg Berhalter
‘I am also a very emotional person, and I fully acknowledge that I let my emotions get the best of me and affect my training and behavior for a few days after learning about my limited role. I apologized to my teammates and coach for this, and I was told I was forgiven.
‘Thereafter, I shook off my disappointment and gave everything I had on and off the field. I am disappointed that there is continuing coverage of this matter (as well as some highly fictionalized versions of events) and extremely surprised that anyone on the US men’s team staff would contribute to it.
‘Coach Berhalter has always said that issues that arise with the team will stay “in house” so we can focus on team unity and progress. I love my team, I love representing my country, and I am focusing now only on improving and growing as a soccer player and a person.
‘I hope that going forward each person involved in U.S. Soccer focuses only on what is in the best interest of the men’s national team so we can enjoy great success at the World Cup in 2026.’
Comments made by Berhalter at a summit in New York City last week were supposed to be ‘off the record’ according to a US Soccer spokesperson (via Paul Tenorio).
However, they were revealed on Sunday, with Berhalter saying that the situation with Reyna was so bad, they were ready to kick him off the team.
‘We were ready to book a plane ticket home, that’s how extreme it was. And what it came down to was, we’re going to have one more conversation with him, and part of the conversation was how we’re going to behave from here out. There aren’t going to be any more infractions,’ he said at a Charter leadership briefing.
According to Reyna, Berhalter told him before the World Cup that he’d play in a limited role
‘But the other thing we said to him was, you’re going to have to apologize to the group, but it’s going to have to say why you’re apologizing. It’s going to have to go deeper than just “Guys, I’m sorry.” And I prepped the leadership group with this.
‘I said, “Okay, this guy’s going to apologize to you as a group, to the whole team.” And what was fantastic in this whole thing is that after he apologized, they stood up one by one and said, “Listen, it hasn’t been good enough, You haven’t been meeting our expectations of a teammate and we want to see change.”
‘They really took ownership of that process. And from that day on there were no issues with this player.’
Reyna was restricted to only substitute appearances during his time with the team in Qatar
While Berhalter did not name the player in his comments, MLSSoccer.com first reported that it was Reyna that he was referencing.
Furthermore, the USMNT took a vote on whether or not Reyna should stay with the team in Qatar – with the winger winning a vote by a 13-12 tally.
That reporting led to comments made by Reyna’s agent, Dan Segal, who said Berhalter’s comments were ‘self serving’.
Reyna’s post generated likes from multiple USMNT players – including some who went to Qatar
Reyna’s post also drew like and comment from Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham
The two players were spotted speaking to each other after the England v. USA game weeks ago
After Reyna’s post went live, multiple players hit the like button on the image.
That included players on the US Men’s National Team – especially Jordan Pefok and Ricardo Pepi.
It also got likes from Musah, Ream, and Scally – players who were called up by Berhalter to play in Qatar.
Reyna’s Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham also liked the post and wrote a comment in support of him.
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