Reyna was fit and firing for Strasbourg. His latest injury is a heartbreaker for the USMNT star

The U.S. men’s national team is once again without Gio Reyna.

Days after being selected for this month’s squad that will take on Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, the attacking midfielder suffered an unspecified injury on Friday for Ligue 1‘s Strasbourg that rules him out of contention for the national team. It’s an especially cruel development for the 23-year-old.

Reyna not only scored in the match in which he was injured, but he was also enjoying much-needed minutes this season as a key figure for his new club. His burgeoning health also led to a more consistent role for the USMNT.

It’s been tempting to describe his season so far using words like “resurrection” and “unthinkable,” but as he walked off the pitch and straight down the tunnel following his injury, it was a stark reminder of what could, once more, hold back the American.

It’s easy to forget how Reyna was viewed just a few months ago.

Plenty of eyebrows were raised in the summer when the former Bundesliga standout, who had played a modest 577 minutes for Borussia Mönchengladbach across 2025-26, was selected for the USMNT’s FIFA World Cup roster.

“[He] can add different things to the team. He has the quality,” said U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino, justifying the decision. “I really trust in him.”

Reyna, a 2020 winner of U.S. Soccer’s Young Male Player of the Year award, hadn’t hit the heights that many expected. Leading up to the World Cup, a career that began so promisingly at Borussia Dortmund became defined by the numerous injuries and inconsistent performances that earned him sporadic starts and minutes at club level.

Pochettino’s trust, though, paid off. Reyna scored at the World Cup and was a starter for the USMNT in the September/October window. At his club, this helped cement a regular place in the XI with Strasbourg, who had taken a similar gamble on the player who then became an invaluable contributor.

Those appearances at club level shouldn’t be overlooked either.

Reyna’s 645 minutes across just 10 games for Strasbourg already represents the second most that he’s achieved in any single season in his career. At his team, he’s also stepped up as a crucial figure, leading the youngest squad in Europe’s big five leagues this season in chances created, and is second within his roster in total shots.

At the international level, that leadership was also becoming apparent. In September, 19-year-old striker Justin Ellis stated that he was “excited to play with Gio Reyna” ahead of a national team camp.

“He’s been my favorite national team player for a couple of years now, I really enjoy his game, and I hope to play with him and learn a lot from him,” Ellis said a week before Reyna would provide the assist for the Orlando City SC striker’s first goal for the U.S.

There’s a noteworthy mental growth that’s been seen in Reyna, too. Lest we forget the high-profile drama surrounding his near-exit from the 2022 World Cup and the ensuing family fallout.

“Obviously, a lot has changed,” said the player earlier this year. “I just like to say, I matured and have grown up in many aspects of my life.”

Both on and off the field, Reyna should be applauded for the progress he has made in recent months, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that he has been sidelined, yet again, due to an injury.

Across the 2025-26 season, there were muscle issues that kept him out of numerous matches. In 2024-25, a groin strain led to a lengthy absence. In 2022-23, a hairline fracture also left him sidelined for a few months. Since the 2021-22 season, he has missed a total of 96 games for club and country through injury, according to Transfermarkt.

The big question now: Will Reyna be able to bounce back? Or will this be another lost season?

The silver lining for the USMNT is that in Reyna’s place, in-form Stoke City midfielder Jack McGlynn will now be getting an opportunity. Since moving to the English Championship, the former Houston Dynamo FC player has been immediately impactful with five goals and two assists across 11 appearances.

Nevertheless, there are certain intangibles that only the gifted and inventive Reyna can bring. At his best, there are few USMNT players, if any, that have the same dangerous mixture of creativity, vision and finesse.

Will we see that same Reyna for club and country in the near future?