ARLINGTON, Texas – Gio Reyna came off the bench to set up the game-winning goal for the U.S. men’s national team in Thursday’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal victory over Jamaica. Afterward, Reyna spoke to the media for the first time since the 2022 World Cup and finally addressed the drama that embroiled him, his parents and U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter following that tournament.
Days after the Americans were eliminated from soccer’s premier event 15 months ago, Berhalter revealed that he considered sending Reyna home from Qatar for his unwillingness to embrace a role as a substitute. The 21-year-old’s parents, USMNT legend Claudio Reyna and former women’s national teamer Danielle Egan, retaliated by reporting a decades-old domestic incident between Berhalter and his now-wife to U.S. Soccer — a revelation that forced the coach away from the program for six months before an independent investigation determined that the federation could rehire him.
Berhalter recalled Reyna in October and started him in the final four matches of 2023, but the younger didn’t address the incident publicly until Thursday.
“Obviously what happened, happened,” Reyna said when asked what it’s been like so far playing under Berhalter since that very public, ugly spat.
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“I think both of us are so far past it and just so focused on the group that it’s not even an issue at all anymore. We’re just so far past it.”
It’s shown on the field. Reyna scored twice in an October win over Ghana. He had another goal in November against Trinidad and Tobago in the first leg of the Nations League quarterfinals. And on Thursday, he set up forward Haji Wright for two goals in extra time as the Americans advanced to Sunday’s final with a 3-1 victory over the Reggae Boyz.
“I think he showed why he got called into camp,” Berhalter said of Reyna, who has played just 40 minutes since moving to Nottingham Forest in England in January on loan from German club Borussia Dortmund.
“Amazing quality, amazing talent. And for us, it’s about supporting him through the difficult times of adapting to the Premier League.
“His quality is unquestionable when you see the plays he made on both the second and third goal,” the coach added. “He has that quality that not many players have, and it’s clear that he deserves to play.”
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United Statesmen’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
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