Gio Reyna has found the unthinkable with the USMNT: Consistency and normalcy

Gio Reyna is starting to look like the player the United States always believed he could become.

At 23, Reyna has endured years of injuries, inconsistent playing time and difficult spells at club level. But his recent performances for the U.S. men's national team suggest he may finally be turning a corner.

After helping the USMNT beat Mexico 3-0, Reyna admitted he was “a little bit tired” after another demanding run of matches.

But the fatigue was hardly the headline.

Reyna has now started seven consecutive games for club and country for the first time in his professional career. During the current international window, he was the only U.S. player to start against Peru, Chile and Mexico.

And he made an impact in all three games.

A long road back

Reyna's talent has never been in doubt.

As a teenager, he was viewed as one of the most exciting young players in American football. His technical ability, vision and intelligence made him a standout at Borussia Dortmund and with the USMNT.

Injuries, however, repeatedly disrupted his progress.

From his 20th birthday in November 2022 through the summer of 2025, Reyna started only seven games in top-flight domestic leagues.

He struggled for regular football at Dortmund, had an underwhelming loan spell at Nottingham Forest and later found opportunities limited at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Across those clubs and competitions from 2023-24 through the end of last season, he managed just three goals and two assists.

For a player once tipped for the top, it was a frustrating period.

Pochettino never gave up on him

One person who continued to believe in Reyna was USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Despite Reyna's limited club minutes, Pochettino continued selecting him and described his situation as a “special” one.

That faith eventually earned Reyna a place at the 2026 World Cup, where he was given another opportunity to show what he could do on the international stage.

Now he is beginning to repay that trust.

Reyna has settled into a better rhythm since joining Strasbourg in France, where he has started four consecutive matches. He has also become increasingly influential within the USMNT.

The flashes are becoming more frequent

Reyna has not suddenly become a world-class player again.

At Strasbourg, his performances have often been solid rather than spectacular. But the important difference is that the flashes of quality are becoming more consistent.

With the United States, those flashes have been particularly obvious.

Against Peru, Reyna provided an assist for Justin Ellis. Three days later, he assisted Julian Hall against Chile.

Then came Mexico.

Starting on the left, Reyna switched positions with Malik Tillman early in the game and was given more freedom to move centrally.

After struggling against Mexico's aggressive man-to-man pressure early on, Reyna suddenly found space.

He made a long run into the half-space, collected Alex Freeman's pass and helped create the opening goal.

It was a reminder of what makes him different.

He may not dominate an entire match, but he can see an opportunity before other players do and produce the pass or movement that changes the game.

His biggest battle was with his own body

For years, Reyna's biggest problem was not his technique.

It was his fitness.

Repeated injuries, particularly his hamstring problems, prevented him from building momentum. They also appeared to affect his confidence.

There were moments when Reyna seemed hesitant, playing below full speed and perhaps protecting himself from another setback.

That mindset now appears to be changing.

“I don’t think about it at all,” Reyna said of his injury concerns. “I’m past that.”

He has worked with trainers and specialists to strengthen his body and rebuild his confidence.

Most importantly, he is playing regularly again.

Pochettino wants Reyna to play with freedom

Pochettino has given Reyna the freedom to move around the pitch and influence games from different positions.

The USMNT coach believes Reyna understands the game at a very high level and can drop deeper to help build attacks.

His ability to combine with players such as Tillman gives the United States another creative dimension.

For Pochettino, Reyna's technical quality is obvious.

“The ball rests at their feet,” he said when describing Reyna and Tillman's ability to make the game difficult for opponents.

That freedom could be crucial as the United States continues to build toward the next stage of its development.

A new chapter

There is also a growing maturity to Reyna's game and his personality.

He has embraced a leadership role with younger players at Strasbourg and with the national team. He is still only 23, but he now speaks with the perspective that comes from experiencing years of setbacks.

He is also preparing to become a father in December.

After everything he has been through, Reyna appears to have reached a point where he trusts his body again, trusts his ability and, most importantly, enjoys playing football.

His recent run of starts is therefore about more than fitness.

It represents the rebuilding of a career that once seemed to be drifting away from its enormous potential.

“People sometimes think resting is a good way to manage minutes,” Reyna said. “But for me, the best way to continue building and growing is playing minutes and starting games.”

“And I’m only getting stronger.”