Giovanni Reyna has had a fantastic breakout season with Borussia Dortmund in 2020/21 appearing in 46 games across all competitions, including the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League. However, he is not part of the USMNT squad for the 2021 Gold Cup.
The 18-year-old wonderkid is one of the most exciting American players performing in the Old Continent and he already is making a name for himself at soccer's top level. Reyna is under contract with the Black and Yellows until 2025 and is expected to become the US national team's superstar in the upcoming years.
He already has scored four goals in eight international appearances, including the opener in the USA's victory over Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League Final in June. However, Gio Reyna is not playing in the 2021 Gold Cup with his national team.
Giovanni Reyna not part of the USMNT in 2021 Gold Cup
In a controversial decision, the USMNT coach, Gregg Berhalter, has decided to not bringing his A-team for the Concacaf competition as he considered those players "needed a break." Therefore, the likes of Reyna, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, among others, were left out of the Gold Cup roster.
In this case, however, Borussia Dortmund were also unwilling to release Giovanni Reyna for the 2021 Gold Cup. Berhalter may have decided that his European-based players needed a break before pre-season, but the German side wouldn't have allowed Reyna to play in the Gold Cup either.
Otherwise, Reyna would have missed the Black and Yellows preseason and probably some of the first games of the 2021/22 season, as he would have needed time to rest after the Concacaf contest.
