Gio Reyna’s USMNT Return: The Comeback Story That Could Define the World Cup
The Long Road Back
Giovanni Reyna’s USMNT story has been one of the most complicated in recent program history. The talent has never been in doubt — when Reyna is healthy and engaged, there are few American players who can do what he does with a soccer ball. The issue has been everything surrounding the talent: the hamstring injuries that cost him seasons at Borussia Dortmund, the Copa América whispers about his relationship with the previous coaching setup, the public Gregg Berhalter controversy, and a stretch of national team absence that left real questions about whether Reyna’s USMNT career was effectively over before it truly began.
Then November 2025 happened. Reyna, called into the squad for the Paraguay and Uruguay matches, showed up and played like the player everyone had hoped he would become. His assist for Tanner Tessmann’s goal in the Uruguay rout — a perfectly weighted cross into the box from the left half-space that Tessmann headed home — was the kind of creative moment that Pochettino’s system is built to generate. The body language was right. The involvement was confident. The questions weren’t answered completely, but they got significantly quieter.
What Makes Reyna Unique
In a USMNT player pool that has real depth at wingback, central midfield, and striker, Reyna occupies a creative space that nobody else quite fills. He operates between the lines as a natural second attacker — finding pockets of space between the opponent’s midfield and defensive lines, receiving under pressure and turning immediately, combining quickly in tight spaces and then arriving into goalscoring positions late enough that defenders don’t track him. That profile — a creative midfielder who can both create and score — is exactly what the 3-4-3’s attacking structure needs as a complement to Pulisic’s more direct approach.
His technical quality on the ball is simply higher than most American players. His ability to disguise passes, the range of his delivery, and his comfort in pressured situations all trace back to years of development in the Bundesliga system that shaped him from a teenager. When that quality is applied in a coherent team structure with players who understand how to move around him, the results can be exceptional.
The AC Milan Complication
Pochettino acknowledged that Chris Richards’ fitness ahead of the Crystal Palace UEFA Conference League final was a consideration for the World Cup squad, and a similar dynamic applied to Reyna’s club situation. His playing time and confidence in the months leading up to the World Cup announcement were monitored closely. But the November performances gave Pochettino’s staff enough evidence to make the selection with conviction rather than hope.
What the World Cup Looks Like With a Healthy Reyna
If Reyna is at his best in June and July, the USMNT’s attack becomes measurably harder to defend. You can’t just assign a single defender to Pulisic if Reyna is arriving from a deeper position with the ability to play the killer pass or execute the decisive finish. The combination of the two creates the kind of defensive problem that requires specific tactical solutions — and opponents who have to solve two elite American threats instead of one will have less margin for error everywhere else on the field.
Why This Matters for the USMNT Going Forward
Reyna’s World Cup inclusion is Pochettino’s biggest bet. It’s a bet that a player with a history of injuries and a complicated national team trajectory can deliver the best version of himself on the biggest stage in the world. If it pays off, Reyna’s story becomes one of the tournament’s defining narratives. If it doesn’t, the selection will be scrutinized accordingly. That’s the nature of the bet. Pochettino made it with open eyes.