Gio Reyna returns to the World Cup.
Players on the U.S. men’s national team were told Friday whether they would be selected to be the manager on Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man roster, and multiple sources said Reyna, a polarizing player in the pool due to his past baggage and lack of consistent playing time, was chosen because he has clear potential once he is fit. The Athletic. Winger Brenden Aaronson, centre-back Mark McKenzie, goalkeeper Matt Turner and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter have also joined the team, according to people briefed on the decision. An official team announcement is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in New York City.
Reina was also part of the 2022 World Cup squad, but was almost forced to leave the tournament due to behavioral issues, which Pochettino previously described as a “special situation”. That’s because of his skill and ability, despite lacking regular playing time, which sets him apart from how he and other players in the U.S. player pool are evaluated.
Reina, 23, played just 509 minutes in the Bundesliga for Borussia Mönchengladbach this season, but played in all five of their last league games and ended the season with one goal. He has nine goals in 36 caps and was recently selected for the USMNT camp in March. One of his international goals came in the United States’ first World Cup match against Paraguay last November.
Reina, the son of former USMNT great Claudio Reyna, recently said, “I’m just waiting for the call-up. It’s an honor.” “The national team means a lot to me. … I would love to be there and make an impact on the team. My dream is to represent my country at the World Cup.”
According to sources, Berhalter, the son of former U.S. men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter, was also on the roster. Sebastian Berhalter has become one of Pochettino’s favorite players and played a big role in last summer’s Gold Cup. He was then called to camp in September and November 2025, and again in March 2026.
There was some debate over whether the Reinas and Berhalters would participate in the 2022 World Cup, but plans appear to have moved forward. After coach Gregg Berhalter was rehired as the U.S. manager, he called up Gio Reyna to multiple camps, including the 2024 Concacaf Nations League and Copa America, and Sebastian Berhalter and Reyna were teammates at multiple camps.
In a bit of a surprise, Real Salt Lake attacker Diego Luna has been informed that he has been left out of the final squad for the 2026 World Cup, a source briefed on the situation said. The Athletic. Luna’s RSL teammate, Xavier Gozo, was also informed by the team that he had been removed from the squad.
Luna’s omission is notable. He was instrumental in the 2025 breakthrough, appearing in all but one of the USMNT’s 18 games last year. He had one cap until 2025.
The attacker suffered a muscular injury, but one source said he was fine and the team was cautious about the injury due to his World Cup hopes. The 22-year-old has played 608 minutes in RSL this year, scoring four goals and providing three assists.
Luna has scored four goals in 18 appearances for the national team, and has added 22 goals and 22 assists in the past three seasons with RSL.
The 19-year-old Gozo is underwhelming as he has yet to be called up to a senior camp in his career, but he has been impressive for Real Salt Lake this season. He is someone to watch in the 2030 cycle.
Who else did Pochettino call up?
Sources elsewhere say The Athletic Leeds United winger Aaronson has also been informed of his presence in the squad, as have McKenzie and Turner.
Aaronson will represent his country at the 2022 Qatar tournament, marking his second World Cup appearance. The 25-year-old is coming off his best season as a professional, appearing in 36 of Leeds United’s 37 Premier League games, scoring four goals and providing five assists as the club comfortably avoided relegation.
McKenzie, who was one of the finalists for the 2022 World Cup squad, provides important depth for the United States under Pochettino and has been called up to seven camps under the Argentine coach. The 31-year-old Turner started at the last World Cup, but he was nowhere near as good as goalkeeper Matt Freeze in terms of depth under Pochettino. He had a strong season with the New England Revolution, leading all MLS goaltenders in expected goals this year. According to American Soccer Analytics, he scored seven fewer goals than expected based on the chances he faced.
Turner is on loan from Lyon and his contract expires this summer. He has no future with the French club and his pastors want him to remain in America. He initially broke out in New England and was named MLS Goaltender of the Year in 2021 for one of the best shot-stopping seasons in league history.
Turner’s good form earned him a move to Arsenal in the summer of 2022. After making seven appearances for the club, he joined Nottingham Forest for one season, before being loaned to Crystal Palace for a year before returning to New England shortly after signing for Lyon last summer.
The United States are scheduled to announce their squad on Tuesday, but there is no binding on Pochettino to announce the final 26-man squad on that day. Official rosters must be submitted to FIFA by June 1, at which point they will be final. According to FIFA rules, players can be substituted after the deadline “only in case of serious injury or illness”.
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