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There’s a particular kind of satisfaction in watching someone who was nearly left behind become the person everyone’s talking about. Gio Reyna provided exactly that on June 12, delivering a stoppage-time goal against Paraguay that wasn’t just pretty. It was a statement.
The US Men’s National Team opened their home World Cup with a convincing 4-1 win at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. And while the scoreline told a comfortable story, it was Reyna’s finish, a trivela struck at the end of a 26-pass sequence lasting roughly 70 seconds, that became the match’s defining image.
The goal that rewrote the narrative
For the uninitiated, a trivela is a shot struck with the outside of the foot. It’s the kind of technique that looks like showing off until you realize how difficult it actually is to execute with precision under pressure, in stoppage time, at a World Cup, in front of a home crowd.
The goal quickly earned consideration as a potential “Moment of the Day” for the tournament.
Four years of proving people wrong
Reyna’s talent was never in question. The son of former USMNT stars Claudio and Danielle Reyna, he grew up with soccer royalty credentials. He trained with Borussia Dortmund as a teenager and earned senior national team caps while still developing.
Injuries plagued his time at Borussia Dortmund, limiting his playing time and raising legitimate questions about his reliability at the highest level.
When Pochettino named his final 26-player World Cup roster in May 2026, Reyna’s inclusion was met with skepticism in some corners.
Reyna himself seemed aware of the narrative swirling around him. In pre-tournament interviews, he deliberately steered conversation away from personal redemption arcs. His focus, he said, was on the team.
Pochettino’s project takes shape
The Argentina-born manager took over the USMNT with a clear mandate: build a team capable of competing seriously on home soil at the 2026 World Cup. The Paraguay result suggests that project is bearing fruit.
Reyna’s trivela at SoFi Stadium is already one of those moments.
What this means going forward
For Reyna personally, the opener changes the calculus around his career trajectory. A player who was fighting for roster inclusion just weeks ago is now a tournament talking point for all the right reasons.
Pochettino’s willingness to bet on Reyna’s inclusion despite the noise looks vindicated today.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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