Gio Reyna enters the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a familiar but unusual place: widely recognized as one of the most naturally gifted players in the USMNT pool, yet still working to convince some of American soccer’s biggest voices that his talent comes with the trust, maturity, and consistency required on the sport’s biggest stage. The 23-year-old midfielder has long been admired for his first touch, vision, and ability to break down defenses, but those qualities alone are no longer enough to silence the criticism that has followed him since the 2022 World Cup.
Former USMNT figures including Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas have used the buildup to the tournament to stress accountability, professionalism, and the obligation that comes with representing the national team at a home World Cup. Donovan has argued that this generation must embrace the pressure rather than shrink from it, framing the moment as one that demands leadership and defining performances. For Reyna, the issue is not whether he belongs on the roster; Mauricio Pochettino has already made that call. The real question is whether he can be trusted to put the team first in every situation.
The controversy from 2022 remains a major backdrop. Reyna’s frustration over playing time and questions about his intensity in training became one of the defining storylines of that tournament, and he later apologized to teammates after internal issues escalated. Since then, every discussion about him has carried the same lingering doubts about maturity and professionalism. Reyna has said he has grown from the experience and wants attention focused on the present, not old disputes, but the scrutiny has not faded.
What Reyna needs now is not a perfect press conference or a dramatic personal statement. He needs minutes, and he needs to make them count. Even if he does not start, his value can come through effort, discipline, and willingness to adapt to the needs of the team. With the USMNT’s midfield depth thinner than its options at defender, wingback, and forward, Reyna may be asked to contribute in a less glamorous role. That means pressing after turnovers, tracking runners, winning second balls, making the extra pass, and showing the kind of selfless behavior that coaches and former players notice immediately.
Pochettino has repeatedly emphasized competition, maturity, and team-first standards throughout the cycle, and Reyna is said to have responded well inside camp. Public praise for the group’s professionalism suggests that the environment is pushing players to earn everything. For Reyna, that could be the path back to broader respect. A strong tackle, a key pass, or a decisive contribution off the bench may matter more than any public defense of his character.
Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams will dominate attention, but Reyna still has an opportunity to become an essential supporting figure for a USMNT that needs depth and composure. If he delivers in a pressure moment, he can rewrite the conversation. If not, the doubts will remain.
