After months of preparation for the World Cup, playing in Qatar, elimination at the hands of the Netherlands, lapsed contracts, investigations into domestic violence, dishonor at the hands of the Reynas, several million dollars paid in a search for coaches and half of the year with two interim managers – Gregg Berhalter remains the head coach of the United States men’s national team.
It’s the most disappointing end to one of the most outrageous sagas in FA history – but US Soccer has confirmed that Gregg Berhalter will be reinstated as head coach.
Reports from The Athletic emerged as the CONCACAF Nations League semi-final between the United States and Mexico kicked off on Thursday night that Berhalter would be brought back into the fold as the boss of the USMNT.
This follows an extensive research process – with several managers interviewed, including American Jesse Marsch and Patrick Vieira.
BJ Callaghan, the team’s current interim manager, will continue to coach the team through the CONCACAF Gold Cup, US Soccer has said.
Gregg Berhalter has been reinstated as head coach of the United States Men’s National Team
‘I want to thank [sporting director] Mast [Crocker]and the entire United States Soccer Federation, for the confidence they have placed in me,” Berhalter said in a statement.
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to build on our achievements at the World Cup and contribute to this exciting time for football in our country.
“The whole group of players and staff have worked incredibly hard to establish our identity on and off the pitch.
“We look forward to continuing our journey together to make our fans and our nation proud.”
After a World Cup campaign that ended in a round of 16 loss to the Netherlands – but was widely seen as a success – Berhalter’s contract expired without a renewal being offered.
This was partly due to a scandal involving alleged domestic violence in 1992 between Berhalter and his wife Rosalind.
A full investigation into the events of that evening has been triggered after US Soccer was told by Claudio and Danielle Reyna – Gio Reyna’s parents – of their anger that their son was not getting the top minutes at the World Cup.
This investigation by the law firm Alston & Bird revealed that the accounts of Rosalind and Gregg Berhalter were accurate and that Gregg had not committed any other acts of violence.
Matt Crocker assessed coaching candidates through various filters and tests
But in the weeks since that revelation, several people left US Soccer and a newly hired athletic director, Matt Crocker, jumped at the chance to interview candidates.
“When I started this search, my goal was to find someone with the right vision to take this program to new heights in 2026,” Crocker said in a statement.
“Gregg has that vision, and the experience and growth mindset on and off the pitch to drive this team forward.
“Appointing the right head coach for a national team is a critical decision that reflects the identity of US Soccer and lays the foundation for developing soccer across the country for years to come.
“I am confident that Gregg is the right person for the job and I look forward to working in partnership with him.”
According to a statement from US Soccer, candidates looking for coaches were evaluated for multiple reasons, including building lasting relationships with staff and players, planning and effectively conducting an identity focused on the vision, pushing innovation and boundaries, and decisive decision making. -maker.
“Within these categories, [Crocker] used advanced data analytics, sophisticated metrics, and industry-leading recruiting methods to profile and rank each candidate.
“Over the course of several weeks, candidates were assessed through all of these filters and passed a battery of practical and psychological tests.”
While Berhalter’s sides lacked finishing ability, they looked strong defensively and in midfield
Under Berhalter, the United States exited the World Cup group stage – their third consecutive knockout appearance in the tournament.
While the team looked defensively sound and possessed the ball well, they lacked power in the final third and scored just three goals in four games.
Additionally, Berhalter’s men’s management throughout the tournament was under scrutiny. In the 0-0 draw with England, the manager waited until the 77th minute to make a substitution – waiting until the 83rd minute to bring in forwards.
One of those players was Borussia Dortmund star Gio Reyna – an incredibly talented player who was coming out of injury, but was fully fit for the tournament.
It was revealed at the end of the World Cup that Berhalter had planned to keep Reyna out of the starting lineup in a diminished role.
Reyna didn’t take this well – failing to put in a good training effort by her own admission.
He ended up apologizing to his teammates – who then voted, choosing to keep him in Qatar by a narrow margin.
These details were revealed by Berhalter during a leadership conference in New York the day after the World Cup. While Berhalter did not name the player who was the subject of the story, later reports confirmed that Reyna was the subject.
Berhalter’s decision to keep Gio Reyna (7) out of the starting line-up has been heavily criticized
That decision, and Berhalter’s airing of team issues involving Gio, led Danielle Reyna (L) to speak to American football officials about the 1992 domestic violence incident.
Reyna expressed her disappointment with the revelation in an Instagram post. “I apologized to my teammates and the coach for this, and I was told I was forgiven,” he said, adding: “Coach Berhalter has always said that the problems that arise with the team will remain “in-house” so that we can focus on team unity and progress.
After Berhalter’s contract expired in January, US Soccer and Berhalter issued a statement regarding alleged incidents of domestic violence in 1992.
Berhalter admitted to kicking his then-girlfriend, now wife, Rosalind while they were both attending the University of North Carolina.
After turmoil and a rift in their relationship, the two eventually reconciled and got married.
Rosalind told the incident to her friend and teammate, Danielle Egan – who would eventually marry Gregg Berhalter’s childhood friend, Claudio Reyna.
Angry at comments made about Gio, Danielle spoke to US Soccer officials about this past domestic violence incident involving Berhalter.
This led to the Alston & Bird investigation, which revealed that Rosalind and Gregg Berhalter’s recollection of the events was accurate and that neither of them had committed any other incidents.
It was also discovered that Danielle Reyna had hinted that she had information about Berhalter, saying after the match against Wales: “Once this tournament is over, I can make a phone call and give an interview, and his cool sneakers and his bouncing passes will be gone”. .’
Berhalter has the best winning percentage of any USMNT head coach at .717
The investigation revealed that the Reyna family had not committed blackmail. However, the report revealed behavior by Claudio Reyna that may have violated the rules of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
Following the findings, Berhalter remained a candidate for the job – with US Soccer eventually rehiring him.
Berhalter has the best winning percentage of any coach in U.S. Men’s National Team history at 71.7% with a record of 37-11-12.
He oversaw the most USMNT wins in a calendar year with the 17 it won in 2021 – a year that saw the United States double in CONCACAF competitions. They beat Mexico in the Nations League and Gold Cup finals.
