Why Gio Reyna made USMNT World Cup roster over Diego Luna
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Why Gio Reyna made USMNT World Cup roster over Diego Luna originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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No one can question Gio Reyna's talent.
By the same token, he hasn't had the kind of pre-World Cup season he would've wanted.
Playing for Monchengladbach in the German Bundesliga, Reyna appeared in just 19 league matches this season for a total of 520 minutes. He had a lone goal with no assists.
That brought his roster status for the USMNT squad into question.
While the official roster hasn't been unveiled, reports indicate that Reyna has indeed made the team.
One player apparently snubbed to allow Reyna on the roster? Diego Luna, an energetic midfielder who featured frequently for the United States in the last year-plus.
It's certainly a key choice.
Why did Gio Reyna make USMNT World Cup squad?
This really does come down to talent and the ability to win a game as an individual within a team construct.
The tough part is that a similar argument can be made for Luna, too.
Reyna has the big-game experience, though, and maybe that's the difference here.
He was in the U.S. World Cup squad at 19 years old in 2022, although he got just two matches and 53 minutes total. He has played in 25 matches overall for his country.
At the end of the day, Mauricio Pochettino must've decided that Reyna's upside was too high to leave off the roster.