Title: Gio Reyna’s Return to USMNT Roster Signals Reconciliation with Berhalter
Date: October 5, 2023
The long-awaited return of Borussia Dortmund attacker Gio Reyna to the U.S. men’s national team (USMNT) roster for the upcoming friendlies against Germany and Ghana indicates a possible reconciliation between the player and manager Gregg Berhalter. The inclusion of Reyna in the 23-player roster was confirmed by U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker after discussions between Reyna and Berhalter resolved their previous feud.
The feud between the Reyna and Berhalter families became public in January, following Reyna’s discontent over his playing time at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Berhalter addressed the issue at a leadership conference, revealing that he almost sent an unnamed player, later identified as Reyna, home due to a poor attitude. In response, Reyna’s mother disclosed a decades-old domestic violence incident involving Berhalter and his wife, leading to an investigation by U.S. Soccer.
However, the investigation concluded that the incident had been properly addressed and did not hinder Berhalter’s rehiring as the team’s manager in June. Since then, Reyna’s recovery from a leg injury sustained during the Concacaf Nations League final in June has prevented him from working with Berhalter. The upcoming camp will mark their first collaboration since the incident.
According to Berhalter, the rebuilding of their relationship began with a Zoom call a few weeks ago, and both parties are committed to working together for the team’s success. While acknowledging that it will take time for them to fully reconcile, Berhalter expressed optimism about the positive intentions on both sides.
The roster for the upcoming friendlies includes several familiar faces, including Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie from AC Milan and Juventus, respectively. Berhalter emphasized the importance of continuity and selecting strong rosters as part of their long-term strategic approach towards the 2026 World Cup.
Tyler Adams, however, will miss the camp due to a recurring hamstring injury, providing an opportunity for Johnny Cardoso of Internacional and Luca de la Torre of Celta Vigo to showcase their abilities in midfield. Antonee Robinson and Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams were also not selected for the roster. Palermo’s Kristoffer Lund and Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Joe Scally will fill in for their positions.
The friendlies against Germany and Ghana will serve as a test for both the reconciled relationship between Reyna and Berhalter and the team’s progress. The USMNT has a 4-7-0 record against Germany, while their record against Ghana stands at 2-2-0.
The inclusion of Reyna and the overall composition of the roster demonstrate Berhalter’s commitment to developing a cohesive and competitive team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The upcoming matches will provide valuable insights and opportunities to evaluate the team’s potential and shape its long-term strategy.
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 9/0), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 33/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 12/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 28/2), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; 7/0), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 2/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 52/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 12/1), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 26/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 6/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Johnny Cardoso (International/BRA; 7/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 17/0), Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim/GER; 0/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA); 46/11), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 29/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 20/4), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 64/0)
FORWARDS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin/GER; 34/8), Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 4/2), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; 1/0), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 18 /9), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 62/26), Tim Weah (Juventus/ITA; 33/5)