Gio Reyna has reportedly been selected for Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man U.S. World Cup roster, while Diego Luna was left off. The news arrives ahead of the U.S. team’s roster reveal on Tuesday, May 26, with the squad set to open the tournament at home against
By the time the U.S. men’s national team gets around to officially unveiling its World Cup roster on Tuesday, May 26, the hard part is already happening: players are learning—through the thinnest edge of information—that their dreams have either landed or slipped away.
On Friday, May 22, The Athletic reported that Gio Reyna was selected for Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man squad. The same report said Diego Luna, a familiar presence in Pochettino’s plans over the past year and a half, was surprisingly omitted.
Reyna’s inclusion comes despite a club season that has tested his patience. The 23-year-old has played fewer than 600 total minutes at Borussia Mönchengladbach amid injuries and coach decisions. Even so. Pochettino called him in for March friendlies. pointing to Reyna’s talent and his past performances with the USMNT as reasons he belongs in the conversation.
The midfielder has shown signs of a turn lately. He has played in five straight games to close out the season and scored his first Gladbach goal earlier this month. The report also places his selection alongside other established names: Brenden Aaronson. Mark McKenzie. Matt Turner. and Sebastian Berhalter all made the roster.
What makes the contrast sharper for Luna is how close he appeared to be to solid control of his spot. He was on the roster bubble even with strong involvement over the past year—playing in 17 of the USMNT’s 18 games last year—and he has been productive for Real Salt Lake. Still, he ultimately fell just short.
Luna’s words this week carried the same mix of belief and uncertainty that comes with waiting: “It’s a lot of feelings, a lot of emotions, a lot of excitement, of nerves, butterflies and stuff like that, but it’s kind of the moment you kind of live for and something we dream about.”
He added, “Being (on) this bubble is already a blessing, so now it’s just waiting on when the day comes, when that roster announcement comes out.”
For the 19-year-old Zavier Gozo, the stakes feel different but no less real. The report says there was no room for him on the 26-man roster. Gozo has been outstanding to start the MLS season and plays with Luna at Real Salt Lake. but the teenager has yet to receive a senior USMNT call-up. which left him facing difficult odds.
The tournament begins fast. The USMNT will kick off the World Cup on home soil against Paraguay on June 12.
In a week where the roster still hasn’t been officially finalized, the shape of the final 26 is already becoming clear: minutes and club momentum have to collide with opportunity—and for some players, one missing call can matter as much as everything they’ve done on the field.
Gio Reyna Diego Luna USMNT roster Mauricio Pochettino World Cup 2026 Borussia Mönchengladbach Real Salt Lake Brenden Aaronson Mark McKenzie Matt Turner Sebastian Berhalter Zavier Gozo Paraguay