US kick off 2026 WC journey amid infighting, uncertainty

LOS ANGELES: The United States men’s soccer team sets out on a three-year journey to the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday against a backdrop of biter infighting and uncertainty over the squad’s head coach.

Seven weeks ago, US Soccer was basking in the glow of what was broadly regarded as a successful World Cup campaign following the team’s last-16 exit against the Netherlands in Qatar.

Yet the feel-good factor from Doha evaporated, as an acrimonious feud between coach Gregg Berhalter and talented midfielder Gio Reyna exploded into public view.

Berhalter barely used Borussia Dortmund star Reyna in Qatar, suggesting at the time there were concerns over the 20-year-old’s fitness.

It later emerged that Reyna had almost been sent home ater a lacklustre approach to training.

Berhalter effectively confirmed the reports in a lecture given at a conference on “moral leadership” in New York ater the tournament where he referred to an individual -- clearly Reyna -- who was “not meeting expectations on and off the field.”

“We were ready to book a plane ticket home,” Berhalter told the conference.

Reynaunsurprisinglytookumbrageatberhalter’s public comments, saying he believed the mater would remain “in-house.”

The forward explained he had “let my emotions get the best of me” ater allegedly being told by Berhalter before the tournament he would only have a “limited role” in Qatar.

But the controversy took a dark turn in early January ater US Soccer announced it had launched an investigation into allegations of decades-old domestic violence by Berhalter.

Berhalter, whose contract expired ater the World Cup but who had been considered likely to continue in the job, later admited in a statement on Twiter to kicking the woman who he would later marry during an argument in 1991.

“It was a single, isolated event over three decades ago and a terrible decision made in a bad moment by an 18-year-old,” Berhalter wrote.

“(Wife) Rosalind and I have been on an amazing journey together. We have raised four wonderful children, who are aware of what happened. We are very proud of our marriage, our relationship, the family we have built, and the people we have become.”