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U.S. men's national team standout midfielder Giovanni Reyna impressed in his debut appearance for new club Strasbourg of French Ligue 1, marking a welcome fresh start for the 23-year-old.
Reyna entered the match at halftime at St. James' Park during Sunday's friendly against Newcastle United, with his side already trailing 1–0. Shortly after the hour mark, the American set up Strasbourg's equalizer, threading a sharp forward pass to Gessime Yassine inside the penalty area, who coolly slotted the ball into the top corner of the net. Reyna raised his arms in celebration following the play, which proved to be enough for the French club to force a penalty shootout, which they won 3–2.
He will now head into Strasbourg's first competitive fixture of the season with renewed confidence, as they face Marseille on Friday.
The player, son of USMNT legendary captain Claudio Reyna, joined from Borussia Mönchengladbach on a five-year contract earlier this month for a reported fee of $3.5 million (€3 million). Reyna, hampered by recurring muscular problems and a persistent inability to perform at his best, had spent far more time on the sidelines than on the field at Mönchengladbach last season. A change of scenery was long overdue.
He managed just 19 league appearances—only four as a starter—last year across 509 minutes, recording one goal and one assist in what was itself meant to be a new beginning. He had signed a three-year deal the previous August with the Bundesliga club through 2028 following a string of underwhelming seasons at league rival Borussia Dortmund, along with an unsuccessful loan spell at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Reyna finds himself in yet another new environment and will hope this move to France proves to be the one that sticks.
Despite his limited impact at club level last season, his profile—for Strasbourg and beyond—actually grew this summer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil. He featured in all five matches for the USMNT, as manager Mauricio Pochettino refused to allow Reyna's club situation to diminish his international standing. The Argentine coach consistently championed him, describing him as "a very special talent and very special player."
History Is on Giovanni Reyna's Side
Reyna is no stranger to rewriting his own narrative, something that should provide him with added confidence as he embarks on this new club chapter.
Most notably, he fought his way back into the heart of the USMNT—no small feat given the circumstances under which he departed—making any comparable hurdle at club level appear far more manageable.
Reyna, once touted as the bright future of the USMNT and a cornerstone of the team's "golden generation," was largely sidelined during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, much to the surprise of many. In the aftermath of the tournament, reports surfaced of the then-20-year-old displaying a poor attitude and insufficient effort in training, with then-manager Gregg Berhalter even revealing he had come close to sending Reyna home during the tournament.
The reports cast Reyna in an unfavorable light, but matters deteriorated further—through no fault of Reyna himself. His parents, Claudio and Danielle—longtime friends of the Berhalters—became involved, not only to raise concerns with U.S. Soccer about their son's limited playing time, but also to report an incident involving Berhalter and his now-wife Rosalind that had occurred when all four were in college.
This triggered a lengthy investigation into Berhalter, whose contract was ultimately not renewed after the 2022 World Cup, and sparked bitter tensions between the two American soccer families for years. Reyna's reputation in the U.S. Soccer community took a significant hit, particularly after Berhalter was rehired in 2023, and it appeared he might never return to the international stage.
It took years for Reyna to rebuild his standing, aided by Pochettino's willingness to offer him a second chance. Reyna ultimately delivered, playing a meaningful role off the bench for the Stars and Stripes this summer. He appears well-positioned to feature in upcoming international windows as well.