The 2022 Qatar World Cup became an eventful tournament. Lionel Messi and Argentina won the prestigious trophy and ended his wait for his crowning glory moment. Another soccer team expected to cause ripples in the competition was USMNT. They had a young core amongst their ranks but failed to appease the sections of the crowd. One of their star player, Gio Reyna, was subjected to criticism from reinstated head coach Gregg Berhalter in the tournament. Yet, the interim coach, B.J. Callaghan, appreciated the player’s performance in the recently concluded CONCACAF Nations League final.
However, Reyna welcomed the news of Berhalter joining the team as a head coach yet again. The cameras will pan their attention to their first meetup following the controversial World Cup incident concerning the USMNT star’s family. But the player received a warm appraisal from his current coach.
Interim coach applauds Gio Reyna’s performances against Canada
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The game ended with a 2-0 victory to Canada, with Reyna assisting both goals. Folarin Balogun and Chris Richards scored for the team to lift the title. But Reyna left the turf injured at half-time as the USMNT held the lead to see out the game. During the first half, Reyna provided a sensational performance for the team and created several chances. It prompted Callaghan to shower heavy praise on the attacking midfielder.
According to Pro Soccer Wire, Callaghan stated, “Specifically Gio’s performance tonight, is a performance that you expect. It shows his quality that’s on the field, his ball security, his ability to take on two or three players and connect passes.” The player created three key passes, eight duels, and an expected assist total of 0.63. It became a power-packed performance as he became the team’s creative force.
However, it is exciting to see how Reyna would react to the appointment of Gregg Berhalter. The coach had an issue with the player because of his performance, and after that, all hell broke loose. The duo was engulfed in an unsavory incident after Reyna’s mother dug up a domestic violence story from the past.
USMNT coach and Reyna’s controversial incident at World Cup
According to NPR, the incident happened in 1992 when Berhalter and his wife were involved in a kicking incident after an argument. Domestic violence became the talking point as the comments surfaced in the USMNT camp during the World Cup, and their campaign derailed from there following an R16 defeat to the Netherlands. But Berhalter explained how the incident happened 30 years ago, and they matured after that.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
View this post on Instagram
Thus, the coach’s reinstatement will be the headline news in the coming days. Berhalter helped the USMNT to set up a team for the 2022 World Cup and provided the 2026 World Cup happens in the USA, the passionate soccer fans hope for him to create a sensational team to compete.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
WATCH THIS STORY | Meet the Legendary Tennis Player Who is 3x Richer than Cristiano Ronaldo
The next World Cup is crucial for the national soccer team. Do you think they will win it?