MANHATTAN — Head coach Mauricio Pochettino selected Gio Reyna for the United States men’s 26-player roster for the 2026 World Cup. Reyna expressed his commitment to contributing in any role during a media availability session in Manhattan following the roster announcement.

Reyna learned he had made the team while in a parking lot outside a smoothie shop in Connecticut with his wife, Chloe. "We knew there would be some nerves," Reyna said. He added that his parents, former U.S. national team players Claudio and Danielle Reyna, were "waiting anxiously. Just like I was." After receiving confirmation of his selection, Reyna called his parents, whose reaction he described as "Just over the moon."

Pochettino, who previously managed Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain and took over as U.S. head coach after Gregg Berhalter’s dismissal, endorsed Reyna’s inclusion. "Gio [has] amazing talent and experience. I really trust in him," Pochettino said. "I don’t say that he is going to play the game. But he can help. He can help because he’s a different player, different talent. And I think in all the roster, you need to have a player like him."

Reyna, who played sparingly for the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup, addressed questions about his past role with the national team. "Reflect? I guess. It was a while ago. But yeah, it happened. It is what it is," he said. When asked about comparisons between Berhalter and Pochettino, Reyna said, "You’re putting me on the spot here a little bit." He noted both coaches were demanding but offered freedom off the pitch if players fulfilled their responsibilities.

Now with Borussia Mönchengladbach after stints at Borussia Dortmund and Nottingham Forest, Reyna emphasized his current mindset. "This time around, I’m just willing to do whatever it takes. Whatever’s called for by me, I’ll be willing to help. To help the team in whatever way possible," he said. "There’s so many players who have developed. It’s really competitive. A lot of guys are close to, or in, their primes. We’re all older. We’ve matured as people and as players." Reyna concluded, "It means a lot; I can’t thank him enough. At the end of the day, I want to repay him on the pitch and help this team be successful."