Gio Reyna, whose parents tried to oust USA coach Gregg Berhalter after the 20-year-old midfielder was sparingly used at the World Cup, has been called up for the team’s Concacaf Nations League matches against Grenada and El Salvador.
Reyna made two substitute appearances during the World Cup and Berhalter later said he almost sent a player home because of a perceived lack of effort — criticisms Reyna admitted were aimed at him. His parents, former USMNT captain Claudio Reyna and former USWNT midfielder Daniele Egan Reyna, then complained to US Soccer officials and notified them of a 1992 domestic violence incident involving Daniele’s college roommate, who went on to become Berhalter’s wife.
US Soccer commissioned a law firm to investigate, which determined Berhalter did not improperly withhold information of the incident. Anthony Hudson was appointed interim coach during the investigation and will stay on until after a new USSF sporting director is hired and supervises the coach search. Berhalter is still a candidate.
USA captain Tyler Adams will miss the matches because of a hamstring injury. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen and forward Ricardo Pepi are on the 24-man roster after Berhalter left them off of the World Cup squad. Steffen has not played for the national team for a year.
The full player pool is available for the first time since the Americans were eliminated from the World Cup with a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the round of 16. Hudson said he limited selections from MLS to just Robinson because other MLS players will have to miss club matches in June and July for national team games.
Taylor Booth, a 21-year-old Utrecht winger, and Auston Trusty, a 24-year-old Birmingham defender, could make debuts.
Players returning to the roster include midfielders Johnny Cordoso of Internacional and Alan Soñora of Juárez. América forward Alex Zendejas is on the roster after making his debut in the January win over Serbia, when most top players were unavailable. The Mexican-American said this week he has committed his international future to the US.
The US play Grenada on 24 March and El Salvador three days later in Florida.
Thirteen players who were on the World Cup roster were omitted: Adams, goalkeeper Sean Johnson; defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers, Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, DeAndre Yedlin and Walker Zimmerman; midfielders Kellyn Acosta and Cristian Roldan; and forwards Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Morris, Josh Sargent and Haji Wright.
Holdovers from the World Cup roster – in addition to Reyna – are goalkeepers Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath; defenders Sergiño Dest, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson and Joe Scally; midfielders Brenden Aaronson, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah; and wingers Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah.
USA roster
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Luton, England), Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough, England), Matt Turner (Arsenal, England)
Defenders: Sergiño Dest (AC Milan, Italy), Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgium), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo, Belgium), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), Miles Robinson (Atlanta), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Germany), Auston Trusty (Birmingham, England)
Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds, England), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional, Brazil), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain), Weston McKennie (Leeds, England), Yunus Musah (Valencia, Spain), Alan Soñora (Juárez, Mexico)
Forwards: Taylor Booth (Utrecht, Netherlands), Daryl Dike (West Bromwich Albion, England), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen, Netherlands), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Tim Weah (Lille, France), Alex Zendejas (América, Mexico)
