Giovanni Reyna

Giovanni Alejandro Reyna (born November 13, 2002) is an American soccer player who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the United States national team. He was included in The Guardian's "Next Generation 2019".[2]

Giovanni Reyna
Personal information
Full name Giovanni Alejandro Reyna
Date of birth (2002-11-13) November 13, 2002
Place of birth Sunderland, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Borussia Dortmund
Number 32
Youth career
2015–2019 New York City
2019–2020 Borussia Dortmund
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Borussia Dortmund 31 (3)
National team‡
2016–2017 United States U15 11 (7)
2017–2018 United States U16 2 (1)
2018–2019 United States U17 18 (8)
2020– United States 2 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:18, January 19, 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of November 16, 2020 (UTC)

Youth career

Reyna joined the Academy team for his hometown club, New York City FC, in 2015. Reyna played with the City FC Academy teams until 2019, when he moved to Germany to join Borussia Dortmund's academy.[3]

Club career

On January 18, 2020, Reyna made his Bundesliga debut for Borussia Dortmund, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute, in a 5–3 win against FC Augsburg.[4] Hence, he became the youngest American, aged 17 years and 66 days, ever to appear in the Bundesliga, breaking a record previously set by Christian Pulisic.[4]

On February 4, 2020, Reyna scored his first professional goal in a 2–3 defeat to Werder Bremen in the DFB-Pokal Round of 16.[5] In doing so, he became the youngest goalscorer in German Cup history.[5] On February 18, 2020, Reyna became the third-youngest player ever to appear in a knockout game of the UEFA Champions League when he came on as a substitute in the 67th minute against Paris Saint-Germain. Nine minutes later, Reyna set up Erling Haaland's game-winning goal for Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Round of 16, becoming the youngest American to play and record an assist in a Champions League fixture.[6]

On May 16, 2020, Reyna was set to start his first Bundesliga match for Dortmund in their derby against Schalke, but suffered a calf injury during warm-ups.[7] Reyna returned on May 23 and played in the final 11 minutes of a 2–0 victory at VfL Wolfsburg.[8] On September 14, 2020, Reyna started in a DFB-Pokal match and scored with a free kick in a 5–0 win against MSV Duisburg.[9] On September 19, 2020, Reyna scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 3–0 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach, aged 17 years and 311 days,[10] to become the second youngest American scorer in Bundesliga behind Christian Pulisic, aged 17 years and 211 days.[11]

On October 3, 2020, in his third league appearance of the 2020–21 season, Reyna assisted 3 goals—a brace to Erling Haaland and an Emre Can header from a corner kick, to beat SC Freiburg 4–0.[12] As a result, Reyna became the first American to record a hat trick of assists in one of the 5 major European leagues since Steve Cherundolo did it for Hannover in March 2008, and the youngest player to ever do so in the Bundesliga.[13]

On December 5, 2020, Reyna scored his second Bundesliga goal against Eintracht Frankfurt, with a near post finish just inside the 18-yard box. This goal made him the second youngest American to score twice in the league after current Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic did so for the same club as Reyna, Borussia Dortmund.[14]

On December 22, 2020, he was voted the U.S. Soccer's Young Male Player of the Year for 2020.[15]

International career

After representing the United States at several youth levels, Reyna received his first call up to the senior United States squad for matches against Wales and Panama in November 2020.[16] On November 12, 2020, a day before his eighteenth birthday, Reyna made his senior national team debut against Wales.[17] In the following game, a 6–2 friendly victory over Panama, Reyna started and scored his first senior goal directly from a free kick.[18]

Career statistics

Club
As of January 19, 2021[19]
Club Season League DFB-Pokal Continental Other Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Borussia Dortmund 2019–20 Bundesliga 150112[lower-alpha 1]000181
2020–21 163216[lower-alpha 1]01[lower-alpha 2]0254
Career total 313328010435
Notes
  1. Appearance(s) in the UEFA Champions League
  2. Appearance in the DFL-Supercup

International
As of match played November 16, 2020[19][20]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
United States 202021
Total21

International goals

United States score listed first, score column indicates score after each Reyna goal.[20]

List of international goals scored by Giovanni Reyna
#DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.November 16, 2020Stadion Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria2 Panama1–16–2Friendly

Personal life

Giovanni is the son of former Rangers F.C., Sunderland, Manchester City, New York Red Bulls, and United States player Claudio Reyna,[21] and Danielle Egan, a former member of the United States women's national soccer team.[22] Reyna was born in Sunderland, England, while his father was playing for Sunderland. Reyna started his international career by playing with the United States' youth teams, but after impressing with Borussia Dortmund, he attracted interest from the Portuguese, English, and Argentine national teams, all of whom he is eligible to play for. Ultimately, in a March 2020 interview with Sports Illustrated, Reyna declared his intent to play for the United States: "I'm aware of the rumors, but it's quite clear for me. I only want to play for the United States. That's my home country."[23]

He was named after his father's former Rangers teammate Giovanni van Bronckhorst.[21]

Honors

USA U17

  • CONCACAF U-17 Championship runner-up: 2019[24]

Individual

References
  1. "Giovanni Reyna" (in German). Borussia Dortmund. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  2. "Next Generation 2019: 60 of the best young talents in world football". The Guardian. October 10, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  3. "Dortmund sign U.S. youth Gio Reyna from NYCFC". ESPN FC. July 1, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  4. "New York City FC academy alum Giovanni Reyna makes Bundesliga debut in Borussia Dortmund win". mlssoccer.com. January 18, 2020.
  5. "Gio Reyna, rising U.S. soccer star, scores gorgeous strike for first professional goal with Dortmund". CBS Sports. February 4, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  6. @bleacherreport (February 19, 2020). "Gio Reyna made history tonight" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. Hamilton, Tom (May 16, 2020). "Dortmund, USMNT prospect Giovanni Reyna injured when set for first start". ESPN. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  8. Uersfeld, Stephan (May 22, 2020). "USMNT hopeful Gio Reyna back for Dortmund, Favre admits Bundesliga return a 'danger'". ESPN FC. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  9. Meyers, Brian (September 14, 2020). "BVB Post Match Report: BVB dismantle Duisburg 5-0". Fear The Wall. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  10. "Giovanni Reyna becomes second-youngest American to score in Bundesliga". The Washington Post. September 19, 2020.
  11. "WATCH: Gio Reyna scores first career Bundesliga goal". Stars and Stripes FC. September 19, 2020.
  12. "Reyna stars for Dortmund in 4-0 win against Freiburg". Daily Herald. Associated Press. October 3, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  13. "https://twitter.com/optajack/status/1312409833031770114". Twitter. Retrieved October 3, 2020. External link in |title= (help)
  14. Jackson, Wilton. "USMNT's Reyna Scores Stunner for Dortmund". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  15. "Dortmund's Gio Reyna named U.S. Soccer's Young Male Player of the Year". ESPN. December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  16. "USMNT ROSTER ANNOUNCEMENT: BERHALTER CALLS 24 PLAYERS FOR NOVEMBER CAMP MATCHES VS WALES AND PANAMA". ussoccer.com. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  17. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2020/11/usmnt-0-wales-0-match-report-stats
  18. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2020/11/usmnt-6-panama-2-match-report-stats
  19. Giovanni Reyna at Soccerway. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  20. "Giovanni Reyna". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  21. "Giovanni Reyna | U.S. Soccer Official Website". ussoccer.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
  22. "Gio Reyna: Who is Borussia Dortmund's latest American sensation?". bundesliga.com. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  23. "Gio Reyna Ends Faux Suspense Over His International 'Choice', Will Play for USA". si.com. March 5, 2020.
  24. "Game Detail". concacaf.com.


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