Friday brought news that appears to resolve the most pressing question surrounding the United States World Cup team selection, as The Athletic reported that Gio Reyna has secured a place on the squad.
The 23-year-old midfielder possesses considerable technical ability, but his selection by coach Mauricio Pochettino has sparked debate given his injury-plagued career, poor recent club performance, and previous behavioral concerns with the national squad.
This season has been particularly disappointing for Reyna, who earned only four starting positions and participated in a mere 19 matches while playing for Borussia Monchengladbach. His offensive production was minimal, recording a single goal with zero assists.
His career included six seasons with German club Borussia Dortmund, plus a short loan period at England’s Nottingham Forest. Following a productive 2020-21 campaign where he started 23 matches and contributed four goals plus five assists for Dortmund, injuries severely reduced his availability in subsequent seasons.
While Reyna has netted nine goals across 36 appearances for the U.S. men’s national team, his most notable headlines may have stemmed from his limited role during the 2022 World Cup. Reports indicated he nearly faced removal from that tournament’s roster due to his negative response to being relegated to reserve status.
Another significant development in the reported roster involves the exclusion of Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna. The 22-year-old has scored four times in 18 national team matches and earned recognition for his tenacious style, exemplified when he continued playing in last year’s Costa Rica friendly despite suffering a broken nose.
Several players who faced uncertain selection prospects ultimately secured roster spots according to the report, including Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner, Toulouse center back Mark McKenzie, and Leeds United winger Brenden Aaronson.
Sebastian Berhalter, age 25, is the son of former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.
Pochettino plans to announce the complete 26-player roster during a Tuesday ceremony in New York.
