Gio Reyna Happy To Be In USA Mix Despite Lack of Club Playing Time

Gio Reyna is happy his lack of Bundesliga playing time isn't being held against him by Mauricio Pochettino as the USA coach prepares for the last two friendlies before picking his World Cup roster.

Reyna is among the 27 players in camp for matches against Belgium on Saturday and Portugal on Tuesday. The 23-year-old midfielder, a son of former USA captain Claudio Reyna, has had just 28 minutes on the field in the past three months for Borussia Mönchengladbach.

"It’s always easier when you’re playing week in and week out. My case is not like that," Reyna said during an online news conference Thursday. "Fortunate and of course always honored and happy to be back in with the coach’s trust. If the opportunity comes up, I still feel very prepared to make an impact this camp on the field."

After Pochettino took over the team in late 2024, he stressed the importance of gaining regular club playing time.

"We need them to be involved in the competition in their clubs," he said that November.

Reyna transferred to Gladbach last summer after making just 14 league starts in his last four seasons at Borussia Dortmund plus two during a loan to English side Nottingham Forest. He had made just one start and five substitute appearances in the Bundesliga this season when Reyna reported for a pair of November U.S. friendlies.

Reyna scored in his first international start in 16 months to surpass his father in career international goals with nine and then set up Folarin Balogun’s tiebreaking goal for a 2-1 victory over Paraguay.

After entering as a second-half substitute in a 5-1 rout of Uruguay, Reyna returned to his club and made four starts, then had an unspecified muscle injury.

Reyna hasn't been in a game since playing six minutes on Jan.