Pochettino grants unique opportunity to ‘exceptional talent’ Reyna
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino described Gio Reyna as a “very special talent,” which influenced his decision to overlook the player’s limited playing time at the club level and include him in the USMNT roster for the upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Portugal.
Reyna has accumulated just 26 minutes of play with Borussia Monchengladbach since the beginning of 2026 and has not featured in the last two months, partly due to a muscle injury. However, Pochettino expressed admiration for Reyna’s performances during the November international window, where he netted the opening goal in a 2-1 victory over Paraguay and provided an assist off the bench in a 5-1 win against Uruguay.
“I think Gio was fantastic in November with us,” Pochettino remarked during a Zoom call with reporters following the announcement of the U.S. squad. “I think everyone praised him for his game against Paraguay, and for the way he was engaged and committed to the team.
“And with the national team, I was really pleased with his involvement and contribution.”
As this window represents the final chance for Pochettino to evaluate players closely before the World Cup roster is finalized in May, the U.S. manager indicated he was willing to take a risk to assess Reyna’s current level.
“Before the final decision for the World Cup roster, I think it’s beneficial to observe players who may not be getting much playing time, like Gio,” Pochettino stated. “But he is a very talented player, and we understand how he can contribute to the national team.
“He is capable of performing with us. Once again, we recognize that he is a very special talent and player. Providing him with an opportunity, even if he hasn’t played much for his club, can be advantageous for us.”
Pochettino further noted that determining when to integrate a player is “an art,” as each player is unique and can offer different contributions to the team.
“We cannot adhere to a strict rule because it would be unjust to evaluate everyone in the same manner,” Pochettino explained. “The most crucial aspect is what the player can bring to the team, and whether they can be the right fit to enhance the team’s performance.
“That is why we do not apply the same criteria to all players, as each one is entirely different; they possess varying characters, profiles, qualities, and talents. The key is to identify the right selection while remaining closely aligned with the performance we exhibited in the last two competitions.”
Both friendlies this month will occur in Atlanta, with the U.S. facing Belgium on March 28 and Portugal on March 31.
