New York (AFP) – United States coach Mauricio Pochettino named Giovanni Reyna in his 26-strong for the World Cup on Tuesday, four years after the midfielder was almost sent home from the 2022 tournament in Qatar following a bust-up with former coach Gregg Berhalter. Borussia Monchengladbach attacking midfielder Reyna appeared as a substitute in the USA’s friendly defeats to Belgium and Portugal in March after impressing Pochettino during last November’s international window.
Reyna has played only a handful of games at club level since the turn of the year, making only eight appearances in the Bundesliga as a substitute for Monchengladbach. However, the 23-year-old remains one of the most technically gifted attacking players available to Pochettino as the Argentine coach prepares for the USA’s World Cup Group D opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12.
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Reyna was at the center of an explosive controversy in Doha four years ago, when it emerged after the tournament he had almost been kicked out of the camp by then-coach Berhalter over his attitude in training. That in turn led to Reyna’s mother informing US Soccer of a physical altercation in 1991 between Berhalter and his then-girlfriend, and now wife, which triggered an investigation by US Soccer.
Pochettino’s squad was announced at a roster reveal event in New York on Tuesday. “I think we were seeing, analyzing, assessing all the situations and we decided the 26 players of the roster,” Pochettino told a briefing Tuesday. He added that he was seeking the “best balance in the 26” picks.
The US coach declined to comment on high-profile figures like Lyon’s Tanner Tessmann who were left out of the roster while relying heavily on the likes of Tyler Adams. “I think we cannot talk about the players that are not in the roster, because it’s very respectful to the players that made the roster,” he said. “I know what it means to be out of the roster; in 1994, the World Cup in the US, I was out… finally I made the roster. That is why I know it’s so painful, but that is my job.”
Little suspense surrounded the event, with details of Pochettino’s selection leaking out in US media reports for several days leading up to Tuesday’s formal announcement. As expected, Europe-based players make up the bulk of Pochettino’s squad, with the likes of AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic, Juventus’s Weston McKennie, and Monaco’s Folarin Balogun all included alongside English Premier League players Adams (Bournemouth), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), and Antonee Robinson (Fulham).
Among the Major League Soccer players included in the roster are former coach Berhalter’s son, Sebastian, the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder.
**Squad:**
**Goalkeepers**
Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
**Defenders**
Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergino Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Alex Freeman (Villarreal/ESP), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach/GER), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO)
**Midfielders**
Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA), Gio Reyna (Borussia Monchengladbach/GER), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Tim Weah (Marseille/FRA), Alejandro Zendejas (Club America/MEX)
**Forwards**
Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG)
© 2024 AFP
