USMNT’s Gregg Berhalter reveals he kicked wife, claims World Cup blackmail plot
Gregg Berhalter claims he was blackmailed over an incident in which he kicked his wife over 30 years ago.
Berhalter has coached U.S. Soccer since 2018. He issued a statement on Tuesday saying that he was the subject of a blackmail attempt during the team’s World Cup berth in Qatar. In the statement, he acknowledged the incident in which he kicked his now-wife, Rosalind, in an incident in 1991.
“During the World Cup, an individual contacted U.S. Soccer, saying that they had information about me that would ‘take me down’ — an apparent effort to leverage something very personal from long ago to bring about the end of my relationship with U.S. Soccer,” Berhalter wrote. “This is a difficult step to take, but my wife, Rosalind, and I want to clearly and directly share the truth. This is a story that belongs to us, but hopefully there are lessons from our relationship that can be valuable to others.
“In the fall of 1991, I met my soulmate. I had just turned 18 and was a freshman in college when I met Rosalind for the first time. There was a familiar feeling when we spoke. Rosalind was and is an amazing person — determined, empathetic, fun to be around — and we connected immediately. It felt like we had known each other for years. We had been dating for four months when an incident happened between us that would shape the future of our relationship. One night, while out drinking at a local bar, Rosalind and I had a heated argument that continued outside. It became physical and I kicked her in the legs.”
Berhalter said he regrets the incident 30 years later and immediately sought counseling.
“There are zero excuses for my actions that night; it was a shameful moment and one that I regret to this day,” Berhalter continued. “At that time, I immediately apologized to Rosalind, but understandably, she wanted nothing to do with me. I told my parents, family, and friends what happened because I wanted to take full responsibility for my behavior. Rosalind also informed her parents, family, and friends. While the authorities were never involved in this matter, I voluntarily sought out counseling to learn, grow and improve — one of the most valuable decisions that I ever made. To this day, that type of behavior has never been repeated.”
Berhalter wrote that Rosalind called him seven months later and they met in person to discuss the matter. They reconciled and recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.
U.S. Soccer issued a statement saying that they retained Alston & Bird LLP to conduct an investigation.
“Through this process, U.S. Soccer has learned about potential inappropriate behavior towards multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization,” the statement said. “We take such behavior seriously and have expanded our investigation to include those allegations.
“We appreciate Gregg and Rosalind coming forward to speak openly about this incident. Consistent with out commitment to transparency, we will share the results of the investigation publicly when it is complete. U.S. Soccer condemns violence of any kind and takes such allegations seriously.”
Berhalter’s contract with U.S. Soccer expired at the end of 2022 and his status as coach of the team in the future is unclear.
“Last month, U.S. Soccer launched a full technical review of our Men’s National Team,” the statement concluded. “With the review and investigation ongoing, U.S. Soccer will announce who will lead the January Men’s National Team camp in the coming days. We look forward to building off the performance in Qatar and preparing for the journey towards 2026.”
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