The World Cup may be over, but a World Cup controversy involving U.S. men’s soccer has grown into a scandal of Shakespearian proportions. The drama originally centered around player Giovanni Reyna’s limited playing time during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the situation quickly evolved to include his parents, Claudio and Danielle Reyna, and his coach, Gregg Berhalter. Now, the U.S. Soccer Federation is investigating Berhalter for allegations tied to a decades-old domestic violence dispute — a result of alleged potential blackmail from Gio’s parents over their son’s limited field time, The New York Times reported. This situation isn’t pretty, but when it comes to sports, playing dirty is nothing new.
“Just before the World Cup, Coach Berhalter told me that my role at the tournament would be very limited. I was [devastated],” Gio wrote in a Dec. 12 Instagram post. “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.”
