The Gio Reyna paradox: Why Pochettino called USMNT star 'different' ahead of World Cup roster decision
Gio Reyna isn't playing at Borussia Monchengladbach, but Mauricio Pochettino has selected him for USMNT camp twice despite repeatedly claiming players must perform at the club to be called in.
The Gio Reyna paradox: Why Pochettino called USMNT star 'different' ahead of World Cup roster decision originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Now a year and a half into his tenure as USMNT head coach, Mauricio Pochettino has laid down a number of principles by which he has run his ship.
With just months until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the time is nearing where Pochettino must decide which 26 players will represent the United States at the biggest soccer competition in the world, played on home soil. Pochettino has largely stuck to those principles throughout his time in charge of the U. S.
national team, but one of his long-held tenets is beginning to come apart at the seams. The Argentine has long trumpeted quality performance at the club level as a sort of prerequisite for national-team call-ups, yet suddenly one player is challenging that firmly held commandment. As Gio Reyna prepares for a second straight international camp and is firmly in the picture for a spot on the 2026 World Cup roster, there's the possibility that one of Pochettino's closest-held beliefs could be upended as decision time nears.
The Sporting News explains what Reyna has done to earn a spot on the March international roster, why Pochettino views him as "different" to the regular mantra, and how he could potentially find himself amongst those called in to lead the United States men at its most important tournament in the team's modern history. 2026 WORLD CUP HQ: Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup tickets Pochettino labels Gio Reyna "different" despite not playing at club For nearly his entire spell in charge, Pochettino has insisted that players must be playing well for their club in order to earn a spot in the national-team picture. "The players not here, they don't need to be worried," Pochettino said back in August of 2025.
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