USMNT made it to the round of 16 in the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 ahead of Gareth Bale’s Wales from Group B. They went down to the Netherlands in the knockout game to bow out of the tournament.

The US soccer fans were happy with the team’s performance, and everyone contributed. But there was one such player who was in the news for not getting to starting lineup despite being one of the most creative players in the squad. Reports were that nothing was going well between the player and the coach. Recently, Gregg Berhalter has lifted the lid on the situation, although he didn’t name the player.

USMNT star was subject to extreme measures

Gregg Berhalter was not happy with USMNT soccer player Gio Reyna, as per reports. The player’s lack of commitment was the reason. Berhalter and his staff had a long discussion over the player and were close to sending the player back to the US. The coaching staff decided to talk to the player and let him know their feelings. Berhalter revealed this recently while speaking at a Summitt in New York without naming the player.

Berhalter added, “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. 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, ‘OK, this guy’s going to apologize to you as a group, to the whole team.’”

Reyna didn’t start any of the games at the World Cup. He got to play only 52 minutes in the tournament, with seven minutes against England and the entire second half against the Netherlands in the round of 16. It was not what the player was expecting after having a great season.

Giovanni Reyna’s playing time was the biggest talking time during the World Cup

Gio Reyna’s playing time made the headlines when he didn’t start the opening fixture of USMNT at the FIFA World Cup. The fans questioned Gregg Berhalter about his selection for leaving out a creative player like Reyna. It drew reactions from US soccer fans and raised the eyebrows of many when the player was left out again for the second game.

Read More: Controversy Lures for USMNT as 20-Year-Old Starlet Gio Reyna’s Health Was Lied Upon by Head Coach – Claims Soccer Analyst

Earlier reports indicated the rift between the player and the Berhalter. Berhalter, when asked about benching the player, claimed that Reyna was not 100 percent fit. The player was quick to deny the statements of the coach and said he feels 100 percent and wants to play. The fans were left bemused by the statements from Berhalter and Reyna.

Watch This Story: Oldest Active Players in Top European Leagues

Now that Gregg Berhalter has lifted the lid on the situation, are you satisfied with the decision of the coach not to start Giovanni Reyna in the FIFA World Cup games?