INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 12: Giovanni Reyna #7 of the United States scores his team’s fourth goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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There was a time when Giovanni Reyna was supposed to be the next great American soccer star.
Not simply a very good player – but a bonafide star.
At Borussia Dortmund, Reyna became one of the youngest Americans ever to play for one of Europe’s biggest clubs. He possessed the technical ability, vision and confidence that made it easy to imagine him eventually becoming the face of the U.S. national team.
It never happened. Instead, Reyna has bounced from one team to another. At age 23, there is still plenty of time for him to change that narrative. But it’s impossible to ignore how far his career has drifted from the expectations that surrounded him as a teenager.
Reyna has left Germany this summer after seven years and joined Strasbourg in France’s Ligue 1 on a five-year contract with $3.5 million. The move could turn out to be exactly what he needs. It could provide the fresh start that has eluded him elsewhere.
It also represents Reyna’s fourth club in as many seasons, a remarkable change in expectations for a player who once appeared destined for the highest levels of the game.
The numbers tell part of the story. In six seasons at Dortmund, Reyna amassed 19 goals and 18 assists in 147 games. Those are decent numbers, particularly for a young player trying to establish himself at one of Europe’s elite clubs.
But they are not the numbers of the superstar many expected Reyna to become. He got little playing time. Then in 2024 came a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, where he also struggled to find a regular role. Last year, he moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach and endured another difficult season, scoring once and assisting once in 20 appearances.
And, throughout it all, there were injuries and controversy. That might be the most frustrating element of Reyna’s story. His talent has rarely been in question. A recent example came at the 2026 World Cup. Reyna even scored a goal in the Americans’ 4-1 opening victory against Paraguay.
For a moment, it felt like the old Reyna had returned. He’s the type of player who could change a game with one touch and a flash of creativity.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Reyna was nearly sent home by then-U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter for disciplinary issues after the attacking midfielder had learned he would not start in the tournament opener against Wales.
Reyna has become difficult to evaluate given his trajectory over the past few years. The talent is still there, but the question is whether Strasbourg can get him onto the field often enough to rediscover it on a consistent basis.
Dortmund’s US midfielder Giovanni Reyna (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring the 5-1 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between Borussia Dortmund v SC Freiburg in Dortmund, western Germany, on February 4, 2023. – DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP via Getty Images)
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What’s next?
This move does not have to be a step backward. Strasbourg finished eighth in Ligue 1 last season and is part of the same ownership group as Chelsea. The club has ambitions, and Reyna will have the opportunity to work under new coach Hugo Oliveira.
More than anything, though, Reyna needs something that has been missing from his career in recent years: Continuity.
Reyna needs to play and stay healthy. He needs a manager who trusts him and a club where he is not simply viewed as a talented young player waiting for his next opportunity.
At Dortmund, Reyna was competing for minutes among elite players. At Nottingham Forest, he could not establish himself. At Gladbach, injuries and inconsistency again got in the way.
Strasbourg offers something different. It’s a reset.
Potential does not last forever. For years, Reyna’s name was mentioned alongside Christian Pulisic as evidence the United States could produce a generation of players capable of competing with the best in the world.
Pulisic eventually became a star at AC Milan and one of the most accomplished American players in history. Reyna’s path, meanwhile, has been far more complicated.
Perhaps the comparison should end there. Reyna does not need to become Pulisic. He needs to become Reyna. At age 23, he’s still has the chance to do just that in France this season.
At the same time, the United States is entering a new era after the World Cup. The the competition for roster spots will only become tougher over the next four years. Nobody is guaranteed a spot.
Indeed, that may be Reyna’s greatest challenge now. For the first time, potential is not enough. Strasbourg is not the destination many had imagined for him just a few years ago.
Perhaps that’s exactly why this move could matter. Reyna does not need another grand stage right now. He needs a stage where he can play.
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