Giovanni Reyna poses key selection challenge for Mauricio Pochettino after USMNT win

After the U.S. men’s national team scraped past Paraguay 2-1 in a friendly on Saturday, attention zoomed in not on the scoreline but on one player who has long divided opinion. Giovanni Reyna’s return to a starting role under Mauricio Pochettino — his first since the 2024 Copa América — felt like a moment meant to answer a question that has shadowed U.S. Soccer for years: can Reyna’s rare talent be trusted despite persistent availability and form concerns?

Reyna delivered for much of the night, creating chances, scoring, and showing flashes of the playmaking ability that once marked him as one of the nation’s brightest prospects. But his club minutes remain inconsistent, and a string of injuries continues to cloud his development. Pochettino’s decision to start him exposes how the new coach is navigating a dilemma that cost Gregg Berhalter dearly: balancing upside against reliability.

How Pochettino has framed national-team selection

Mauricio Pochettino arrived with clear principles: regular minutes at club level should translate into national-team opportunities. That rule has governed many roster choices since he took charge.

• Players need consistent club minutes — whether in Europe, MLS, or elsewhere — to secure USMNT call-ups.
• Those who choose club paths that limit playing time tend to see fewer international minutes.
• Performance in high-profile tournaments and recent form can reopen doors for players who have slipped out of favor.

This philosophy explains several recent puzzles: why Younes Musah vanished after reportedly declining a 2025 Gold Cup call-up, why goalkeeper Matt Turner returned to MLS to regain form and visibility, and why Cristian Roldan parachuted back into the fold after strong club performances at the FIFA Club World Cup. But Reyna’s start against Paraguay was a notable exception, suggesting that Pochettino is willing to bend his own rules under certain circumstances.

Giovanni Reyna: elite skill, fragile continuity

Reyna’s technical skill remains undeniable. The 20-something midfielder can pick out passes under pressure, open defenses with a touch, and finish in tight spaces. Yet talent alone hasn’t produced steady club-level minutes over recent seasons. A move from Borussia Dortmund to Borussia Mönchengladbach was meant to jumpstart his playing time, but recurring lower-body injuries have continued to interrupt his rhythm.

Key factors shaping Reyna’s career trajectory

• Injury history: Multiple setbacks have repeatedly halted progress, preventing the continuity necessary to develop at elite club level.
• Inconsistent starts: Even when fit, Reyna has often been on the fringes rather than a guaranteed starter for his clubs.
• Perception of attitude and commitment: Past episodes, notably during the 2022 World Cup cycle, raised questions about his mental approach and locker-room fit.
• International upside: At times, players who struggle for club pace can still shine for their countries; managers must decide whether that upside is worth the risk.

Three years ago those questions were framed mainly around work ethic. Since then, repeated physical problems have complicated the narrative: are we dealing with a player whose motivation is the issue, or one whose body simply won’t allow sustained elite performance?

How Pochettino’s context differs from Berhalter’s

Pochettino and Berhalter faced the same problem — whether to rely on a mercurial offensive talent — but their incentives and managerial histories diverge sharply.

• Tenure expectations: Pochettino’s job in the U.S. looks like a relatively short chapter before a likely return to European club management after 2026. Berhalter, by contrast, had a long-term vision tied to multiple World Cup cycles, which may have made him more cautious about disrupting squad dynamics.
• Managerial capital: Pochettino has already shown a willingness to experiment and pick unconventional solutions that have worked — Roldan’s reintegration and the emergence of previously unheralded players like Matt Freese and Alex Freeman are examples.
• Room for risk: With fewer long-term consequences to fear, Pochettino can afford to test players like Reyna without the same political or developmental stakes that shaped Berhalter’s decisions.

That freedom matters. Berhalter’s reluctance to lean on Reyna in Qatar may have been influenced by a need to protect long-term cohesion and ensure buy-in from more consistent performers. Pochettino doesn’t carry the same baggage; his immediate focus is on assembling the best possible group through next July.

What Reyna’s performance vs. Paraguay suggests

For roughly 75 minutes Reyna provided the kind of influence that explains why coaches keep coming back to him: vision, technical control, and the capacity to alter the course of a match. He scored a goal and helped set another — concrete reminders that his ceiling is extremely high.

But a single bright outing doesn’t erase the broader pattern. Consistency remains the issue.

• Short-term: Reyna’s showing gives Pochettino reason to consider him for competitive fixtures if he can string together more minutes.
• Medium-term: The coaching staff must weigh whether Reyna can sustain form through intensive World Cup preparation and whether his body will hold up.
• Squad dynamics: Rewarding an erratic club performer risks pushback from players who have earned minutes through steady seasons.

Decisions the USMNT coaching staff face next

Building a reliable roster for major tournaments requires navigating tradeoffs. Pochettino and his staff now need to make choices along several fronts.

Concrete considerations

• Medical assessments: a thorough fitness and load-management plan for Reyna to limit re-injury risk.
• Club contact and monitoring: increased communication with Borussia Mönchengladbach about minutes and training load.
• Rotation and role clarity: defining a role that leverages Reyna’s strengths while protecting him physically and preserving squad harmony.
• Backup plans: identifying alternative creators and playmakers who can step in if Reyna becomes unavailable.

Pochettino’s recent picks — including players who were previously overlooked — suggest he’s willing to pair bold selection choices with a pragmatic approach to minutes management.

What this means for U.S. Soccer heading into 2026

The conversation around Reyna ties into broader questions about the U.S. men’s national team: how to balance raw talent with reliability, how to translate club stability into international success, and how to manage player health across grueling club and tournament calendars. Pochettino’s current window of authority gives him short-term latitude to test high-upside players, but the underlying concerns that dog Reyna’s career remain unresolved.

You might also like:

• Gio Reyna skipping MLS could be a costly career mistake
• USMNT: six things that must happen to win the World Cup
• Pochettino’s USMNT press conference was calculated: what it signals
• USMNT must set realistic goals after painful World Cup exit to Belgium
• USMNT beat Bosnia 2-0 as Italy absence fuels World Cup questions

John Davis

John Davis is a sports journalist focused on the NBA, NFL, and major global championships. With seven years of live coverage, he breaks down performances and key strategies. His expertise gives you a clear view of every game and its impact.