‘A Dream’—USMNT’s Gio Reyna Gives Honest Verdict on World Cup Chances

Giovanni Reyna has endured a difficult past couple of years, but he remains very much in contention to represent the U.S. men’s national team in the 2026 World Cup, a possibility he says would be, “a dream come true.”

At 23-years-old, the former USMNT wonderkid is fighting for a spot in managerMauricio Pochettino’s final 26-man roster. With less than a month to go before the Argentine boss reveals his squad, Reyna spoke candidly about his eagerness to play in his second World Cup.

“[The World Cup] is on everyone’s mind,” Reyna told reporters during a media availability on May 12, via Bulinews. “No spot is guaranteed or safe. It’s simple: I want to be there. It’s a World Cup in your home country. It’s obvious that you think about it pretty often.

“I try not to let it take over my day and stress me out too much, but it’s in the back of my mind, like I’m sure it is for many other players. I want to be there, I want to represent my country, and I want to give everything to the team. That’s all I can really say.

“This team [USMNT] means a lot to me. I’ve had very good moments with this team over the last couple of years. So I’d love to be there and to have an impact. It would be a dream to represent my country at the World Cup.”

Gio Reyna: World Cup Call-Up is ‘Not in My Hands’

It’s been almost four years since Reyna headlined a clash with then-USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter due to his lack of minutes in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Years later, Reyna admitted he learned a lot from that experience but is still eager to have a more prominent role in 2026.

Reyna also highlighted the good relationship he has with Pochettino, who has described him as a “very special talent and very special player.” Reyna has played in each of the USMNT’s last four games under the Argentine, the man who will ultimately decide whether or not he gets to represent the Stars and Stripes.

When asked if he believes he deserves a spot in said roster, Reyna opted to keep his opinions to himself, allow his performances to do the talking, and ultimately let Pochettino decide.

“If I say no, I’m not backing myself, and if I say yes, it’s arrogant,” Reyna said. “So it’s a hard question to answer. I love the staff, I love the players, and I love the national team. Whatever happens, happens.

“I’m really hoping and wanting to be there to make an impact and achieve something great with the team, but the decision is out of my hands. I’m just hoping and waiting for the call-up, which would be an honor.”

Having a strong end of the season with Borussia Mönchengladbach will go a long way in deciding Reyna’s 2026 World Cup fate, but it’s not exactly been a promising debut campaign with the German club.

Giovanni Reyna Reflects on Difficult Season

Muscular issues have hampered Reyna ever since he joined Mönchengladbach from Borussia Dortmund last summer. Between injuries and an inability to showcase his best version, Reyna has played just 19 games this season, making only four Bundesliga starts and registering a little over 500 minutes in all competitions.

“I obviously came here to play more,” Reyna revealed honestly. “Of course, being injured sucks. You never want to be injured. But I try to take what I can from each injury. I’ve been a bit unlucky at times with the length of the injuries and the timing also, but I’m feeling good now, doing all I can 24 hours a day to stay fit and give it my all in training.”

The attacking midfielder has featured in four consecutive games for Mönchengladbach, his longest run since the calendar turned to 2026. The 32 minutes he played last time out were the most in a single game since Dec. 19, and although it came in a 3–1 defeat, he scored his first goal for the German club.

“The last couple of weeks have been very good for me to get more minutes, and I felt like I had some good performances,” Reyna said. “I feel ready to play 90 minutes and feel that I can give my max at this moment in time. So I guess you could say 100 percent. I feel very, very fit and sharp.“

Only one game remains in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s season, Reyna’s final audition in his quest to impress Pochettino. Still, the skilled playmaker is hopeful of what’s to come.

“The season’s coming to an end now,” Reyna said. “So hopefully we can just finish off with one more good game this weekend, both as a team and me individually. I hope to go to the World Cup and continue with the form I’m building on.”

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