USMNT's Gio Reyna can’t get out of his own way: A lack of accountability over past World Cup drama could cost him a place for 2026

This may seem like an awful lot of extrapolation from very few words. And that's a fair point. After all, this is American soccer, a world often constructed on tension and insecurity, with a need to make the most out of very little. There have been times - especially in recent memory - in which many have read into things far too much (just ask Christian Pulisic what he was up to last summer). 

But Reyna isa special case. To understand that quote, it is worth examining Reyna, the character. It isn't particularly outlandish to suggest that the attacking midfielder is the most naturally gifted player in the pool at the moment. He was thrust into the Borussia Dortmund side at a young age, and after a series of impressive performances, held in high regard.

It helped, of course, that he was the son of Claudio, a U.S. legend in his own right. But Gio was good. And for a while, for both club and country, he proved it. 

However, 2022, was a strange year. He was performing effectively for Dortmund, but his relationship with then-U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter was difficult. At the time, with no context, it was a puzzling thing. Reyna was an immense talent. But Berhalter largely froze him out at the 2022 World Cup, allowing the Dortmund player just two appearances, both of which came off the bench.

It was later revealed that Reyna was nearly sent home from camp due to fractious relationships with his teammates and a poor attitude in training. Put simply: Reyna had all the talent in the world. But he rather got in his own way. And Berhalter knew it.

And after the World Cup, as has been well chronicled, things got even worse. The Reyna and Berhalter families fell out publicly and in quite unhealthy terms. There were allegations and denials and decisions about the coach's standing with US Soccer.

The bad blood stemmed from Berhalter's handling of Reyna at the 2022 World Cup, Reyna's response - for which he was nearly sent home - Berhalter's role in revealing the incident and the subsequent disclosure of a decades-old domestic violence allegation to US Soccer by Reyna's mother, Danielle. Berhalter was rehired by U.S. Soccer following an investigation.

After the World Cup, Berhalter - speaking at what was presumed to be an off-the-record leadership summit - was later quoted as saying, “We had a player that was clearly not meeting expectations on and off the field. One of 26 players, so it stood out. As a staff, we sat together for hours deliberating what we were going to do with this player...

"We were ready to book a plane ticket home, that's how extreme it was. And what it came down to was, we're going to have one more conversation with him, and part of the conversation was how we're going to behave from here out. There aren't going to be any more infractions."

The day after Berhalter's comments went public, Reyna posted a message on social media calling the reports of nearly being sent home from the World Cup "highly fictionalized," adding he was disappointed that details regarding his participation in Qatar were not kept "in house."

Three years on, Reyna had the chance to set the record straight. He was given the chance to perhaps outline why he was almost removed from the camp. 

His comments to AP have made the rounds on social media, and don't read kindly for Reyna's image.

"At the end of the day, I was just upset that, you know, I wasn’t really playing," he said. "I was playing at Dortmund. I thought that I wanted to play at the World Cup and ultimately in the end, I didn’t do that, and that’s really what it stemmed from. I guess the frustration and the disappointment was just wanting to play and help my country."

Lack of apology notwithstanding, there isn't much accountability, either. Berhalter was a limited coach, but he was by all accounts a vibes guy who created a strong culture. Reyna's actions tainted the harmony. His words, published on this week, could have at least acknowledged that he was part of the problem.

And even if he didn't do that, Reyna must, deep down, know that he has bridges to build with people inside US Soccer.

Sure, he has been injured, absent, and unavailable for selection. But almost getting kicked out of a World Cup camp takes some flagrant effort. And yes, this is soccer, where everyone reads everything. Reyna, we are safe to assume, still has teammates to deal with.

This was as much about symbolism as sincerity. Even if Reyna didn't mean it, he could have, at least, offered a casual "my bad." 

When the U.S. hired Mauricio Pochettino last fall, they thought they were getting a masterful tactician with a certain aura - a man manager, yes, but mostly a head coach who would earn the respect of his players on resume alone. Pochettino isn't a soccer nerd. But he wasn't supposed to be hardline, authoritarian, Jose Mourinho-lite.

And while he hasn't followed "the special one" with quite the same vigor, Pochettino has proved to be far more of a culture guy than many might have expected. 

The tactics here are what they are - and may yet develop. But Pochettino's calling card with the USMNT, so far, can best be summed up by a lengthy soliloquy given after being peppered with questions about Pulisic's absence from the Gold Cup squad. It was a wonderful thing, Shakespearean, even.

But the quote that has stuck is a simple: "I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin.” And that sums it up nicely. You will not walk all over him. You won't really question him, either. He doesn't like excuses, and he certainly doesn't feel the need to offer explanations.

It is in that light, then, that Reyna's comments look even more misguided. He has pointed out repeatedly that he wants to be on the World Cup roster next June. He has even been selected by Pochettino before (managing little more than a forgettable cameo in a Nations League third place match dead rubber in March).

But his recent comments suggest he just doesn't understand the vibe of the new manager. Of course, Pochettino wasn't head coach three years ago. The news may well have passed him by (he was probably more focused on his beloved Argentina than the state of a U.S. team that got knocked out in the last 16). 

But in the here and now, Reyna - already struggling for playing time at the club level in Germany - did himself no favors with the new coach.

Reyna hasn't made all of the right moves off the field. But get it right on, and some things can be overlooked. Reyna, first of all, deserves some credit for leaving Borussia Dortmund. It took him an extra year to admit what most casual onlookers could see: that he had no apparent future at the club.

Monchengladbach, on the face of it, was a smart place for a move. Everyone in the Bundesliga plays with some version of a No. 10 in these days. Reyna fits that bill. They were, at the time, a solid mid-table team who keep the ball and didn't do loads of running. It should have been a perfect fit.

So much for that. Monchengladbach are as bad as they have been in recent memory. They let go of manager Gerardo Seoane three games into the season - back in mid-September - and are yet to name a replacement. Eugen Polanski has been promoted from the U23s, and doesn't exactly have his side humming.

The stylish football that was promised has been replaced by something far more attritional. Monchengladbach are here to grind out results, and they don't have to look particularly good doing it. This is not a spot for Reyna to play - never mind show the U.S. establishment that he deserves another shot on a World Cup roster.

It is, of course, too early to write his move off as a total failure. A new manager could turn things around. Monchengladbach have too much raw talent to get relegated. In a few months, in a more settled side, Reyna could be in the picture. For now, though, it seems the same story of a footballer running in place - and not particularly quickly.

And so we return to his comments and the 2026 World Cup. In that same interview, Reyna reiterated his desire to play for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup. His answer about his prospects with that roster, in fact, is the only good one he gave.

"I do obviously think about (the World Cup) pretty often as it’s somewhere where I need and want to be," he said. "But I try to focus daily here, stay present here, work here every day, and hopefully believe everything will fall into place."

And in a perfect world - when you strip back the realities of chemistry and history - that would all work out. Reyna is an immense talent. You can probably never have enough good footballers. Is Reyna a starter? Who knows? But on talent alone, he should be a lock for the roster.

There is even an element of the tragic hero here. No matter what move Reyna makes - belated or otherwise - there is always a blocker. At Dortmund, it was a new player, or a new manager. At Monchengladbach, it was a coaching change and a broken system. It's hard to blame him for the failings of his body, too. You can certainly make the argument that Reyna has been wildly unlucky. 

But if those forces really are conspiring against him, then Reyna has to be extra careful. Every word must be precise. Every sentiment must be spot on. He shouldn't antagonize. And, perhaps most importantly, he might just want to apologize.