U. S.
Men's National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino unveiled the official 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday during a press conference in Manhattan.
The selection solidifies the roster for the upcoming tournament ahead of the opening match against Paraguay in Los Angeles, though changes can still be made in the event of an injury before June 11.
The roster announcement sparked immediate debate among soccer analysts, highlighted by the unexpected omission of deep-lying central midfielder Tanner Tessmann and the inclusion of attacking midfielder Gio Reyna.
Reyna, who experienced a turbulent 2022 World Cup campaign under former coach Gregg Berhalter, expressed relief after waiting anxiously for the selection notification while in Connecticut with his wife.
"Just over the moon," said Gio Reyna, describing the emotional reaction of his parents upon hearing the selection news.
The 23-year-old midfielder has faced club challenges, struggling to secure a regular starting spot during recent stints with Borussia Dortmund, Nottingham Forest, and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
"Reflect? I guess," said Reyna.
"It was a while ago. But yeah, it happened.
It is what it is."
Analysts from The Athletic noted that Reyna has accumulated only 2,180 minutes and three goals since the 2023-24 season, making his inclusion a significant talking point regarding his current form.
"I mean, of course," said Reyna. "Everyone wants to play every minute of every game.
But sometimes it doesn't work like that."
National team reporters noted that Reyna appears to approach this tournament with newfound humility compared to his previous World Cup appearance in Qatar four years ago.
"Uhh, not much, I guess," said Reyna. "It's obviously in the past."
Despite limited playing time in his club career recently, Reyna emphasized his desire to contribute to the national team structure in any capacity required by the coaching staff.
"This time around, I'm just willing to do whatever it takes," said Reyna. "Whatever's called for by me, I'll be willing to help."
Reyna also commented on the growth of the American player pool, noting that many members of the current squad are entering the prime stages of their careers.
"There's so many players who have developed," said Reyna. "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."
When asked to contrast the management styles of his former manager and the current head coach, Reyna pointed out cultural differences between the two regimes.
"You're putting me on the spot here a little bit," said Reyna.
He further explained that both managers maintain demanding preparation environments while offering tactical freedom to the players on the pitch.
"They have a lot of the same qualities," said Reyna. "It's just ...
maybe a little bit more of the South American, maybe a little bit looser culture [now], where Gregg had a few more rules.
But I don't know. They're both demanding.
Both gave a lot of freedom to the players.
But at the end of the day, you need to train, you need to prepare, you need to play.
And if you did those things well, then both coaches gave you freedom to enjoy off the pitch."
Reyna expressed gratitude toward the new manager for demonstrating confidence in his technical abilities despite his recent lack of club minutes.
"It means a lot; I can't thank him enough," said Reyna.
"At the end of the day, I want to repay him on the pitch and help this team be successful."
Pochettino praised Reyna's distinct technical profile during his media availability but refrained from making explicit guarantees regarding playing time.
"Gio [has] amazing talent and experience," said Mauricio Pochettino. "I really trust in him."
Pochettino finalized his press conference statements by emphasizing that Reyna offers unique tactical dimensions that are necessary across a full tournament roster.
"I don't say that he is going to play the game," said Pochettino. "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."
