05/12/26 10:58:00
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05/12 10:56 CDT Gio Reyna pleased with landmark goal in Germany ahead of US
World Cup team selection
Gio Reyna pleased with landmark goal in Germany ahead of US World Cup team
selection
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
AP Sports Writer
DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) --- Gio Reyna says he's happy to score a goal which
ended a year-long scoreless run as he tries to make his case for a spot on the
United States' roster for the World Cup.
Reyna scored on a first-time shot off a pass from Rocco Reitz in his team
Borussia Moenchengladbach's 3-1 loss to Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
It was the American attacking midfielder's first club goal since January 2025,
when he was still at Borussia Dortmund.
"It's been a little while but in the end I'm just happy to score," Reyna told
reporters Tuesday. "In the end it didn't matter too much but more than that it
was good to get a good chunk of minutes and I felt like I had a pretty good
performance overall."
The 23-year-old Reyna, whose father Claudio captained the U.S. at the 2002 and
2006 World Cups, said it would be "an honor" to be selected for coach Mauricio
Pochettino's U.S. squad on May 26.
Reyna has often been used off the bench in his first season at Gladbach and
hasn't played a full 90-minute club league game in four years --- not helped by
a series of injuries --- but has been playing for the U.S. under Pochettino.
Reyna said it was "a hard question to answer" whether he felt he'd done enough
this season to make the World Cup team.
"If I say no, I'm not backing myself. And if I say yes, it's the arrogant
answer where I feel like I should be there. It's a hard question to answer," he
said.
"I love the staff. I love the players. I love the national team. Obviously
whatever happens, happens. Really hoping and wanting to be there to make an
impact and achieve something great with the team, but the decision is out of my
hands."
Reyna told The Associated Press last year that the World Cup was his long-term
target following his move to Gladbach, seeking a more regular playing role.
Reyna was on the World Cup squad in 2022 but barely played amid a difficult
relationship with then-coach Gregg Berhalter and what he told the AP was
"frustration and disappointment" over a lack of minutes.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
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