'I can't be too surprised' - Gio Reyna accepts USMNT September friendlies omission, targets return to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad

U.S. international Gio Reyna isn't surprised that he was omitted from Mauricio Pochettino's squad for friendlies against Japan and Korea. The attacking midfielder, who recently completed a move from Dortmund to Monchengladbach this summer, struggled for playing time during his last two seasons at BVB, and was not included in the Argentine's 23-man roster for the two fixtures, scheduled for early next month. 

Reyna admitted to ESPN that he wasn't surprised that Pochettino didn't select him.

"Yeah, I mean, I can't really be [mad], I guess I'm just speaking for myself. I can't be too surprised if, obviously, I haven't played any games with the club yet this season and I haven't played any preseason games," he said. "For me, I can't obviously be mad about it. Of course, I want to be back in, but I only know that's only possible with playing time and performing well. So that's how it is. That's how it should be."

Reyna was a bit-part player for Dortmund last year, appearing for just 614 minutes and limited to a bench role - largely due to ongoing injury struggles that had seen him fall out of favor under various managers. 

He did concede, though, that his desire to represent the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup factored into his decision to leave Dortmund: "Obviously, I feel like it's the time to take the next step for me. And also, of course, with the national team now too. It's obviously really important that I play, wanting to come back in and, yeah, be ready for the World Cup more than anything."

Reyna spent six years at Dortmund. After breaking into the squad in 2019 as a well-regarded teenager, he steadily fell out of the picture for the German giants. He had been linked with a move to Serie A side Parma earlier in the transfer window, but the deal fell through. 

The attacking midfielder now has a chance to revive his career, it seems. Monchengladbach play Stuttgart Saturday morning, and it is unclear if Reyna will be available for selection.