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

Alexi Lalas has slammed Gregg Berhalter’s mysterious blackmailer who sought to ‘bring down’ the USMNT coach over information that he kicked his now-wife Rosalind during an argument in 1991.

Both Berhalter and US Soccer released statements on the matter on Tuesday, as the coach admitted to the ‘shameful moment’ when he was 18 and the federation said it was investigating the matter.

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

Alexi Lalas slammed the blackmail plot that allegedly targeted Gregg Berhalter

‘So, apparently someone blackmailed our US National Team coach Gregg Berhalter during the World Cup about an incident that happened between Gregg and his wife (then girlfriend) 30+ years ago,’ he said.

‘American soccer… we eat our own.’

US soccer said it learned of the ‘allegation’ against Berhalter on December 11 – eight days after the team was eliminated in the round of 16 by Holland – and said it would share the full results of the investigation once it was complete.

Berhalter’s contract with the team expired following the tournament, though he said Tuesday that he ‘looks 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’s like we’ve known each other for years. We had been dating for four months when an incident happened between us that shaped the future of our relationship,’ he said.

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

Berhalter released a statement on his Twitter profile on Tuesday afternoon to clarify some ‘personal information that was used by a third party against my family and me’

‘There are no excuses for my actions that night; it was a shameful moment and one that I regret to this day.’

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

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

Berhalter concluded the statement by saying that he and his wife, Rosalind, were ‘cooperating fully with US Soccer’s investigation.’

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

Berhalter and his wife embraced after the USA exited the World Cup on Dec. 3

“Through this process, US Soccer has learned about potentially inappropriate behavior among several members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization,” the federation said in their statement.

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

Both Berhalter and Lalas played for the USA national team.

Berhalter made 44 caps and played a key role in the 2002 World Cup.

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