Mauricio Pochettino has put Gio Reyna back in the picture for the biggest stage in American soccer, and the midfielder now has a chance to answer the doubts that have followed him for nearly four years. Reyna is already on the roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the harder test is whether he can convince the people who still question him that he belongs in the room when it matters.
That search is happening now because the World Cup begins on home soil, and at 23 years old Reyna is still young enough to change the conversation but old enough that the old excuses no longer carry the same weight. Former USMNT stars such as Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas have spent the buildup pushing accountability, professionalism and responsibility, with Donovan urging this generation to create defining moments and welcome the pressure of a home tournament instead of shrinking from it.
For Reyna, the assignment is simple to state and difficult to deliver. Pochettino has already decided he belongs on the roster, and he has repeatedly stressed competition, maturity and team-first behavior throughout this cycle. He has also praised the environment and professionalism among players fighting for minutes. What Reyna still has to prove is that he can be trusted in that setting, not just talented enough to make the team.
The reason that remains such a live issue is the shadow of the 2022 World Cup, which has hung over him for nearly four years. His lack of intensity in training and frustration over playing time became one of the defining stories of that tournament, and internal concerns only eased after he apologized to teammates. Reyna has recently said he has grown from that experience and wants the focus to stay on the present rather than old controversies, but those words only matter if they are matched by how he handles the moments in front of him.
That is where the tension sits for the USMNT as much as for Reyna. The team’s midfield depth is not strong for the 2026 run, which makes his ability to help even when he is not starting more important than ever. He needs to raise his all-around work rate and be useful from the bench if needed, because on a home World Cup roster the question is no longer whether he has skill. It is whether the same player who once tested the team’s patience can now give it reason to rely on him.
If Reyna does that during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the old debate may finally start to lose its grip. If he cannot, the label that has followed him since 2022 will only harden, and the home tournament meant to reset his reputation could leave it exactly where it started.
