Gio Reyna’s Career Has Become A Story Of What Might Have Been

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 12: Giovanni Reyna #7 of the United States scores his team's 4th extremity during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D lucifer betwixt USA and Paraguay astatine Los Angeles Stadium connected June 12, 2026 successful Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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There was a clip erstwhile Giovanni Reyna was expected to beryllium the adjacent awesome American shot star.

Not simply a very bully subordinate – but a bonafide star.

At Borussia Dortmund, Reyna became 1 of the youngest Americans ever to play for 1 of Europe’s biggest clubs. He possessed the method ability, imagination and assurance that made it easy to ideate him yet becoming the look of the U.S. nationalist team.

It ne'er happened. Instead, Reyna has bounced from 1 squad to another. At property 23, location is still plentifulness of clip for him to alteration that narrative. But it’s intolerable to disregard really acold his profession has drifted from the expectations that surrounded him arsenic a teenager.

Reyna has near Germany this summertime aft 7 years and joined Strasbourg successful France’s Ligue 1 connected a five-year statement pinch $3.5 million. The move could move retired to beryllium precisely what he needs. It could supply the caller commencement that has eluded him elsewhere.

It besides represents Reyna’s 4th nine successful arsenic galore seasons, a singular alteration successful expectations for a subordinate who erstwhile appeared destined for the highest levels of the game.

The numbers show portion of the story. In six seasons astatine Dortmund, Reyna amassed 19 goals and 18 assists successful 147 games. Those are decent numbers, peculiarly for a young subordinate trying to found himself astatine 1 of Europe’s elite clubs.

But they are not the numbers of the superstar galore expected Reyna to become. He sewage small playing time. Then successful 2024 came a indebtedness spell astatine Nottingham Forest, wherever he besides struggled to find a regular role. Last year, he moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach and endured different difficult season, scoring erstwhile and assisting erstwhile successful 20 appearances.

And, passim it all, location were injuries and controversy. That mightiness beryllium the astir frustrating constituent of Reyna’s story. His talent has seldom been successful question. A caller illustration came astatine the 2026 World Cup. Reyna moreover scored a extremity successful the Americans’ 4-1 opening triumph against Paraguay.

For a moment, it felt for illustration the aged Reyna had returned. He’s the type of subordinate who could alteration a crippled pinch 1 touch and a flash of creativity.

At the 2022 World Cup successful Qatar, Reyna was astir sent location by then-U.S. head Gregg Berhalter for disciplinary issues aft the attacking midfielder had learned he would not commencement successful the tourney opener against Wales.

Reyna has go difficult to measure fixed his trajectory complete the past fewer years. The talent is still there, but the mobility is whether Strasbourg tin get him onto the section often capable to rediscover it connected a accordant basis.

What’s next?

This move does not person to beryllium a measurement backward. Strasbourg vanished eighth successful Ligue 1 past play and is portion of the aforesaid ownership group arsenic Chelsea. The nine has ambitions, and Reyna will person the opportunity to activity nether caller coach Hugo Oliveira.

More than anything, though, Reyna needs thing that has been missing from his profession successful caller years: Continuity.

Reyna needs to play and enactment healthy. He needs a head who trusts him and a nine wherever he is not simply viewed arsenic a talented young subordinate waiting for his adjacent opportunity.

At Dortmund, Reyna was competing for minutes among elite players. At Nottingham Forest, he could not found himself. At Gladbach, injuries and inconsistency again sewage successful the way.

Strasbourg offers thing different. It’s a reset.

Potential does not past forever. For years, Reyna’s sanction was mentioned alongside Christian Pulisic arsenic grounds the United States could nutrient a procreation of players tin of competing pinch the champion successful the world.

Pulisic yet became a prima astatine AC Milan and 1 of the astir accomplished American players successful history. Reyna’s path, meanwhile, has been acold much complicated.

Perhaps the comparison should extremity there. Reyna does not request to go Pulisic. He needs to go Reyna. At property 23, he’s still has the chance to do conscionable that successful France this season.

At the aforesaid time, the United States is entering a caller era aft the World Cup. The the title for roster spots will only go tougher complete the adjacent 4 years. Nobody is guaranteed a spot.

Indeed, that whitethorn beryllium Reyna’s top situation now. For the first time, imaginable is not enough. Strasbourg is not the destination galore had imagined for him conscionable a fewer years ago.

Perhaps that’s precisely why this move could matter. Reyna does not request different expansive shape correct now. He needs a shape wherever he tin play.