Alexi Lalas slams World Cup blackmail plot against USA coach Gregg Berhalter

Alexi Lalas has criticized the mysterious blackmailer of Gregg Berhalter who intended to ‘take down’ the USMNT coach with the information that he kicked his now-wife Rosalind during an argument in 1991.

Both Berhalter and US Soccer issued statements on the matter on Tuesday, as the coach admitted to the ’embarrassing moment’ when he was 18 and the federation said they were looking into the matter.

And Lalas also chimed in, citing tweeting the statement sent from Berhalter’s Twitter account.

Alexi Lalas criticized the blackmail plot said to have targeted Gregg Berhalter

“Then, evidently, someone blackmailed our US National Team coach, Gregg Berhalter, during the World Cup about an incident that occurred between Gregg and his wife (then girlfriend) over 30 years ago,” he said. .

‘American football…we eat ours.’

US Soccer said it learned of the ‘indictment’ against Berhalter on Dec. 11, eight days after the team was knocked out in the Round of 16 by the Netherlands, and said it will share the full results of the investigation. when it’s complete.

Berhalter’s contract with the team expired after the tournament, though he said Tuesday that he was “looking forward to continuing my discussions with US Soccer about the future.”

Berhalter admitted to “kicking his wife Rosalind (left) in the legs” after an argument in 1991

The coach said he issued the statement “to provide transparency and to reinforce that a single bad decision made by a teenager does not necessarily define him for the rest of his life.”

‘It felt like we’d known each other for years. We had been dating for four months when an incident occurred between us that would shape the future of our relationship,’ she said.

‘One night, while drinking at a local bar, Rosalind and I got into a heated argument which continued outside. He got physical and I kicked him in the legs.

Berhalter issued a statement on his Twitter profile Tuesday afternoon to clarify certain “personal information that a third party has used against me and my family.”

‘There are no excuses for my actions that night; It was an embarrassing moment and one I regret to this day.’

The 49-year-old New Jersey-born coach met Rosalind, also 49, at the University of North Carolina, where the two played soccer and began dating in 1991 before marrying eight years later.

The couple lives in Lake View, Chicago, and they have four children.

Berhalter concluded the statement by saying that he and his wife Rosalind have “fully cooperated with US Soccer’s investigation.”

However, it seems that they are not the only people who may have been attacked by a third party.

Berhalter and his wife embrace after the United States were knocked out of the World Cup on December 3.

“Through this process, US Soccer became aware of possible inappropriate behavior toward various members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization,” the federation said in its statement.

“We take such behavior seriously and have expanded our investigation to include those allegations.

Berhalter and Lalas both played for the United States national team.

Berhalter made 44 appearances and played an important role during the 2002 World Cup.

Lalas starred in the 1994 World Cup and made 96 international appearances.