The USMNT embarked on a solid World Cup run in this year's iteration of the tournament, making it out of the group stage before bowing out against Netherlands in the Round of 16. While there was a lot of reason for encouragement with the Americans' play, one of the most confusing parts of their run in the tournament involved the lack of usage that Gio Reyna got.
Reyna is one of USA's best players, but you wouldn't be able to tell that based on the World Cup, because he barely played in the tournament. Reyna didn't start any of the four games, and really only got an extended run on the field in their final game against the Netherlands when the team was trailing 2-0 at halftime. It certainly was the cause for confusion, but we may finally know the reasoning for this odd decision.
“The sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, said that Reyna showed an alarming lack of effort in training ahead of the U.S.’s opening match of the tournament against Wales on Nov. 21, including in a scrimmage against Qatari club Al Gharafa SC on Nov. 17. Reyna’s lack of intensity in the scrimmage — sources described him walking around throughout his time on the field during what was otherwise an intense session — caused significant frustration within the team. The lack of effort was so pronounced that it was unclear whether Reyna was protecting against an injury or just frustrated that he was not set to be a starter against Wales.” – Paul Tenorio & Sam Stejskal, The Athletic
This would be a shocking explanation for Reyna's lack of usage, but it would make sense. Reyna is a bright young star, so hopefully he is able to rebound from this strange incident and get himself ready for a potential run in the 2026 World Cup with the US.
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