Gio Reyna Gets 2026 World Cup Shot to Silence Critics — Reyna Usmnt
Gio Reyna gets a reyna usmnt chance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the timing is the point. Mauricio Pochettino already put him on the roster, so the question is not whether he belongs — it is whether he can be trusted.
The 23-year-old is trying to move past the 2022 World Cup controversy that followed him for nearly four years. He said recently that he has grown from the experience and wants the focus to be on the present rather than old controversies.
Pochettino’s Reyna Decision
Pochettino is giving Reyna an opportunity during a tournament beginning on home soil. That means the midfielder is not fighting for a ticket; he is fighting for minutes, trust and the kind of role that can change how he is viewed inside the USMNT setup.
That is the sharper edge of this World Cup for Reyna. Former USMNT stars such as Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas have pushed accountability, professionalism and responsibility during the buildup, and Reyna enters camp under that pressure with a defined challenge in front of him.
2022 World Cup Shadow
The backdrop still matters. Reyna’s lack of intensity in training and frustration over playing time became one of the defining stories of the 2022 World Cup, and internal concerns eventually reached a breaking point before he apologized to teammates.
That history is why this call carries more weight than a normal roster spot. Reyna is trying to prove he can be trusted, not because Pochettino is still deciding whether he belongs, but because the manager has already made that choice and now has to see how Reyna responds when the stakes rise.
USMNT Midfield Pressure
The U.S. midfield picture also gives him a real opening. Christian Pulisic will draw most of the attention, Weston McKennie will provide energy and personality, and Tyler Adams will set the emotional tone, leaving Reyna with room to make his own case if he handles the moment well.
Pochettino has repeatedly stressed competition, maturity and team-first behavior throughout this cycle, while also praising the environment and professionalism among players fighting for minutes. For Reyna, that leaves a clear assignment at the World Cup: turn the old story into a new one, and do it in front of a home crowd that will watch every touch.
