Gio Reyna surpassed Claudio Reyna by scoring in his first international start in 16 months and then set up Folarin Balogun’s tiebreaking goal in the 71st minute to lead the United States over Paraguay 2-1 on Saturday night in a friendly between World Cup-bound teams that sparked a late brawl.
He remains the biggest enigma in American soccer.
A prodigy whose parents both played for the U.S., Reyna became the youngest American to appear in Bundesliga at 17 years, 66 days, when he debuted for Borussia Dortmund in 2020. Yet his playing time dwindled because of repeated injuries and then-U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter nearly sent him home from the 2022 World Cup because of poor effort during training.
Reyna's parents retaliated by informing the U.S. Soccer Federation of a decades-old domestic abuse allegation against Berhalter. The spat cost Berhalter his job for a half-year, but he was rehired after a USSF investigation cleared him of wrongdoing in the hiring process. Berhalter then was fired after a first-round elimination at the Copa America and replaced by Mauricio Pochettino.
Meanwhile, Reyna fell out of favor at Dortmund and transferred this summer to Borussia Mönchengladbach, He had a thigh injury in September and missed nearly a month.
Pochettino made the surprise decision to recall Reyna for the November friendlies, even though the midfielder hadn't started a game since Sept. 14 — which had been his first since March.
“It was an opportunity for me to show that I belong here,” Reyna said.
He hadn't started for the U.S. since the Copa America in July 2024 and hadn't scored since March 2024. Reyna estimated he was at 80-85% of full fitness.
“I definitely expect when I get back to definitely start more matches,” he said. “It’s nice to feel 75 minutes in the legs tonight with no problems at all.”
Reyna gives the U.S. attack a different dimension, whether from a wing or central midfield. Pochettino told Reyna during training Friday that he earned the start and was free to create space and chances.
“For an attacking player it's the best feeling when your coach gives you the confidence to sort of play what you feel and what you see,” Reyna said.
Teammates noticed the difference in the attack.
“I just told him when we got back in the locker room — it’s my first time playing with him and, boy, it’s fun to play with him,” goalkeeper Matt Freese said. “You can just give him, get him the ball and things will happen. He has the confidence and the talent to make it to make things happen.”
Reyna scored in the fourth minute after Sergiño Dest and Cristian Roldan had shots blocked following Max Arfsten’s corner kick. Arfsten crossed to Reyna, whose header from 8 yards glanced off the outstretched left fingertips of goalkeeper Orlando Gill and in off the crossbar.
Reyna's ninth goal came in his 33rd international appearance. His father, the U.S. captain at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, had eight in 112 games from 1994 to 2006.
Álex Arce took advantage of a defensive lapse to equalize in the 10th minute. Reyna helped break to the tie in the 71st minute when his centering pass deflected off Damián Bobadilla to Balogun, who scored his eighth international goal and his third in fourth matches.
“We can see today that he was great, scored and assist(ed),” Pochettino said. “The capacity to read the game and find the free space in between the lines I think was a nightmare for Paraguay.”
Reyna is desperate to play in next year's World Cup and redefine himself as the player many thought he could be, not the one known for injuries and controversy.
“Gio wanted to come into camp and do his thing,” Balogun said. “He wanted to put the noise behind him, and I felt like he did that today.”
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