Gio's Redemption

Reyna Scores on His USMNT Return

Gio Reyna's journey back to scoring for the United States national team has been nothing short of tumultuous, making Saturday's performance against Paraguay all the more significant for the 23-year-old midfielder.

Once considered American soccer's brightest prospect—becoming the youngest American to appear in the Bundesliga at 17 years and 66 days—Reyna's career has been derailed by injuries, controversies and diminishing playing time. His promising start at Borussia Dortmund faded amid fitness issues, and his involvement in the 2022 World Cup saga permanently altered his standing. After then-coach Gregg Berhalter nearly sent him home for poor training effort, Reyna's parents revealed a decades-old domestic abuse allegation against Berhalter, triggering a messy public fallout that temporarily cost Berhalter his job.

Since that watershed moment, Reyna has struggled to find stability. A loan spell at Nottingham Forest yielded minimal impact—just 10 appearances and no goals. He managed only 341 league minutes at Dortmund throughout 2024-25 before making a permanent €7 million move to Borussia Mönchengladbach last August. Even there, he's started just once while battling another thigh injury.

His recall to Mauricio Pochettino's November squad came as a surprise given his lack of game time. Reyna hadn't started for club or country since September 14, and that had been his first start since March. Yet Pochettino's faith proved warranted. Starting against Paraguay marked Reyna's first international start since the Copa América—the final game under Berhalter. Within four minutes, he scored with a header, surpassing his father Claudio's eight international goals. The playmaker then assisted Folarin Balogun's winner in the 71st minute, logging 75 minutes without issue.

"It was an opportunity for me to show that I belong here," Reyna said afterward, crediting Pochettino for giving him "freedom and confidence." For a player desperate to redefine himself beyond injuries and controversy, Saturday represented a crucial step toward redemption and World Cup inclusion.