USMNT Starting XI: Why Isn’t Gio Reyna Starting

The U.S. men’s national team forward was once again left out of the team’s starting XI ahead of its game against England.

U.S. men’s national team forward Gio Reyna has once again been left out of the team’s starting XI ahead of its game against England. 

The move—met with backlash from fans—should come as no surprise after USMNT’s coach Gregg Berhalter kept Reyna off the pitch in the team’s 1–1 draw against Wales. The coach cited “tightness” in an apparent move in trying to preserve one of the U.S.’s most lethal offensive weapons.

The decision to keep Reyna, the son of American soccer stars Claudio Reyna and Danielle Egan, on the bench against the Welsh, as well as out of the starting lineup vs. the English, has been Berhalter’s decision. In the former, the coach noted it was due to “some tightness we were guarding against” following the game. Reyna has dealt with issues in his groin and hamstring muscles, though he said on Thursday he was ready to go.

“No, I feel great,” he said, via MLS. “I feel really good. I feel ready to go. I felt good, I felt ready to go but it was just his [Berhalter’s] decision. … He doesn’t have to tell me why he didn’t put me in or why he does. But I’m 100 percent. I’m good to go.”

The latter, however, is a question fans are posing themselves. Berhalter decided to send Jordan Morris over Reyna in the team’s final substitution vs. Wales, who was unable to find the net in a much-needed win for the States. Meanwhile, Josh Sargent’s spot was filled by Haji Wright, per mlssoccer.com, marking the Antalyaspor forward’s first World Cup start. 

Now, amid shakeups in Group B, a win over England can help solidify the USMNT to break out of the group stage and into the knockout stage. Reyna could be the engine off the bench to power the United States to do so. 

But, the Borussia Dortmund star is injury prone; in September, he was sidelined due to a muscle strain following a 2021–22 season marred by a hamstring tear. Though classified as a standout for the U.S., his injury-prone nature has prevented him from seeing any action in the 2022 World Cup so far. With a pivotal game on the line Friday, it was up to Berhalter to assess whether it was worth taking the chance of reinjuring Reyna early in a jam-packed schedule. It was a chance, clearly, not worth taking in the starting XI.

“I think I was pretty clear after the game saying he was available for the match, and it was a coach’s decision that he didn’t play,” Berhalter said Thursday, via MLS. “And he’ll be available for tomorrow’s match, and we’ll see what happens.”

And it’ll be up to the 20-year-old to prove he has the sustainability to be a power player on an offensively challenged squad. Against Wales, the USMNT had plenty of chances to put the game away off the back of Christian Pulisic, but apparent offensive ineptitude of the squad squandered the opportunities in the box. The team only had six shots on goal in the Monday match, only scoring off a Tim Weah goal in the 38th minute. 

Lots of questions around Gio Reyna now with two different names atop the formation in two matches. Saving him for Iran? 🤷🏼‍♂️ https://t.co/Y4wys8X57v

— Braden Gall (@BradenGall) November 25, 2022

U.S. vs. England kicked off at 2 p.m. ET, creating an opportunity for Reyna to sub in and help in giving the United States its first World Cup win of the tournament—if Berhalter makes the call. 

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