SANTA CLARA, Ca. — Nobody is similar individual at 23 as they had been at 19. Nobody would be the identical individual at 30 as they had been at 23.
It’s how rising up works. The experiences you’ve got, the ups and downs of life, form you. Change you. Make you see the world, and the way you progress by way of it, in another way. It’s true of everybody.
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It’s true of .
The midfielder nonetheless has the identical thunderous expertise he did when he made his first , 4 years in the past in . However his life, private {and professional}, is vastly completely different.
The 23-year-old is married, and . He’s nonetheless enjoying professionally in , however his rocket-like trajectory has gone off target. Whereas he’d like to be beginning for the at this event — anybody who says in another way has no enterprise being right here — he’s merely grateful for coach Mauricio Pochettino’s religion in him and wanting to repay it any means he can.
“The connection I’ve with Mauricio, for the belief and the worth he is put in me, I am unable to thank him sufficient,” Reyna instructed USA TODAY Sports activities. “At any time when I get the minutes or at any time when I get the prospect to play, I’m going to provide it my all — for him, after all, and for this workforce and for this nation.”
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Photographs reveal unforgettable World Cup motion and emotion
US ahead #20 Folarin Balogun (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring his workforce’s third purpose in the course of the 2026 World Cup Group D soccer match between USA and Paraguay on the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026.
(PATRICK T. FALLON, AFP through Getty Photographs)
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Photographs reveal unforgettable World Cup motion and emotion
US ahead #20 Folarin Balogun (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring his workforce’s third purpose in the course of the 2026 World Cup Group D soccer match between USA and Paraguay on the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026.
(PATRICK T. FALLON, AFP through Getty Photographs)
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Photographs reveal unforgettable World Cup motion and emotion
Folarin Balogun #20 of america scores his workforce’s third purpose in the course of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, 2026 in Los Angeles.
(Richard Heathcote, Getty Photographs)
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Photographs reveal unforgettable World Cup motion and emotion
Cesar Samudio #12 of Panama fails to save lots of a shot from Giovanni Reyna #7 of america as he scores his workforce’s fourth purpose in the course of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, 2026 in Los Angeles.
(Jamie Squire, Getty Photographs)
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Photographs reveal unforgettable World Cup motion and emotion
US midfielder #07 Giovanni Reyna (R) scores his workforce’s fourth purpose in the course of the 2026 World Cup Group D soccer match between USA and Paraguay on the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026.
(VALERIE MACON, AFP through Getty Photographs)
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Photographs reveal unforgettable World Cup motion and emotion
US gamers rejoice the fourth purpose by midfielder #07 Giovanni Reyna in the course of the 2026 World Cup Group D soccer match between USA and Paraguay on the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026.
(VALERIE MACON, AFP through Getty Photographs)Transferring previous the drama
This isn’t a coded message for anybody. , which just about bought him despatched residence and led to an that (briefly) value then-coach Gregg Berhalter his job, is firmly prior to now. He made amends together with his teammates, and .
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That is a couple of one-time phenom regaining his footing.
The anticipation for Reyna was Christian Pulisic-esque. His father Claudio had performed for the in 4 World Cups, and was the primary American to captain a European membership when he was at . His mom Danielle had performed at North Carolina and, briefly, for the .
The youthful Reyna was simply 17 when he signed with , and he broke Pulisic’s report because the youngest American to play within the Bundesliga when he made his debut Jan. 18, 2020. He scored his first purpose 17 days later.
Later that month, he had the help on ’s game-winner within the Champions League.
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Reyna would set a number of scoring and help data the remainder of that 12 months, typically breaking marks held by . He made his USMNT debut in November 2020, and scored his first worldwide purpose in his second recreation.
Accidents gradual profession
However Reyna missed a lot of the 2021-22 season with accidents and has struggled to remain wholesome since then. Even when he’s wholesome, he is seen his minutes dwindle. Final season, with Mönchengladbach, Reyna began simply 4 occasions in 19 appearances, scoring one purpose.
“I feel all people needs to play, whether or not it is under-12 or skilled,” Reyna mentioned. “You’re employed so laborious, and naturally all you wish to do is admittedly be on the sphere on the weekends.”
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As an alternative of pouting, Reyna centered on getting his physique proper. When he was capable of prepare, he gave full effort.
Whereas it was irritating to nonetheless be on the skin trying in at his membership, Pochettino had Reyna’s again.
Pochettino stored Reyna with USMNT
Even with Reyna not getting constant enjoying time at , Pochettino continued to name him up. He’s an “superb expertise,” Pochettino mentioned after deciding on Reyna for the World Cup roster, and will contribute to the USMNT in methods others couldn’t.
“He might help as a result of he is a special participant, completely different expertise, ?” Pochettino mentioned.
Reyna backed up Pochettino’s phrases within the opener in opposition to , when he scored a surprise of a purpose after coming off the bench.
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Utilizing the skin of his proper foot, he flicked the ball previous the outstretched hand of Paraguay goalkeeper . The trivela was Reyna’s first purpose on the World Cup
“Perhaps it is the environment. Perhaps it is feeling very snug, feeling belief from the coach. Perhaps it’s being actually shut with the fellows on the workforce,” Reyna mentioned of his consolation with the USMNT.
“I feel once I’ve gotten the prospect to play, I’ve accomplished fairly effectively not too long ago, whether or not it has been as a sub or beginning,” he mentioned. “It is simply very nice to go to work right here day-after-day with this workforce. Not saying it is not good to go along with my membership workforce, however it’s only a particular environment right here.”
Reyna, USMNT exhibiting extra maturity
A lot of this workforce has been collectively for a number of years now. Half of the 26-man roster was on the Qatar workforce, and a number of other others had been within the combine for that squad. Their bonds have tightened and their belief has deepened these final 4 years, which mixes to gasoline their confidence.
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The USMNT head into the knockout rounds as group winners for the primary time since 2010. They received two of their three group-stage video games for the primary time, and their eight targets already is yet another than the earlier USMNT report for the whole event.
“Perhaps in opposition to the final event, we had a perception that we might beat them, however deep down, I feel possibly all of us thought it was going to be a really, very difficult job to try this,” Reyna mentioned, referring to the USMNT’s loss to the Dutch within the first knockout spherical.
“The place now I feel on this second, within the kind we’re in and the chemistry now we have and simply the entire environment right here, I feel we imagine we are able to actually go toe to toe with anyone,” Reyna mentioned. “We simply need to maintain driving that momentum and maintain working with one another and having fun with the time. After which we imagine we are able to do good issues collectively.”