Giovanni Reyna Reflects on Past Challenges as He Aims for 2026 World Cup
Herculez Gomez, a former U.S. international, recently highlighted that mistakes, like the one leading to Australia’s first goal against the U.S. Men’s National Team, could be detrimental in the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
As the team gears up for the tournament, Giovanni Reyna, who was once seen as one of the brightest up-and-coming players for the United States, has expressed his determination to approach his past conflicts with the team’s previous coach differently. He’s currently focused on securing a spot on the squad for the 2026 World Cup.
At 22 years old, Reyna is eager to overcome a career marked by injuries and an incident regarding his training intensity that overshadowed his capabilities on the field. He views the upcoming World Cup on U.S. soil as a major goal but emphasizes that he strives to stay present and work hard in the current season at his new club, Borussia Mönchengladbach.
During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Reyna’s contributions were limited to just two appearances off the bench. After the tournament, former coach Gregg Berhalter revealed that a player, later identified as Reyna, was nearly dismissed from the squad due to perceived lack of effort in training.
Reyna’s parents, both former national team players, had advocated for increased playing time for their son and raised concerns regarding a past domestic incident involving Berhalter.
When asked if he would handle the situation differently given a second chance, Reyna acknowledged that while he might approach things differently, he doesn’t believe he should bear full responsibility for the fallout.
Reyna revealed that his frustrations stemmed from his limited playing time, stating, “At the end of the day, I was just upset that I wasn’t really playing.” His desire to contribute to the national team fueled his discontent during that period.
Now at Gladbach, Reyna is looking to this season as a potential pathway back to the national team. Joining his teammate Joe Scally has been a positive addition to his experience at the club. However, consistent injuries have hindered his ability to find rhythm, as he struggled for significant game time in his last three seasons at Borussia Dortmund.
His last full match was in March 2022, and he has only played once for the U.S. since the Copa América in 2024. Fitness issues have restricted him from participating in half of Gladbach’s Bundesliga games so far this season.
Despite coming off the bench, Reyna feels it’s an improvement compared to his situation last year. With only four U.S. friendly matches scheduled before the pre-World Cup camp, he knows he must seize every opportunity at Gladbach to showcase his talents.
Reyna mentioned that the emphasis from coach Mauricio Pochettino is on playing well to earn a call-up, noting that the onus is now on him to perform.
While Borussia Dortmund is well-regarded for nurturing young players, Reyna has contemplated whether an earlier move might have granted him more playing time and better opportunities.
Throughout his career, Reyna has dealt with various injuries, primarily soft tissue and muscle-related, along with a leg fracture. He has learned to adapt his approach to physical fitness and mental resilience in response to each setback.
Now, he is stepping into a more responsible role on and off the pitch as he strives to reach his potential. “I would love to look back in the future and say that it was a pivotal few years,” he said, emphasizing the importance of action over words.
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