WASHINGTON — FIFA’s global championship has added 16 teams to its field, which means 48 countries will compete in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
The schedule has returned to the traditional summer months as opposed to the matches Qatar hosted in November and December 2022.
As for changes on a less grandiose scale, look no further than United States midfielder Gio Reyna. While chatting with reporters, Reyna explained why he’s no longer the 20-year-old who was chastised by his coach for a lack of effort while preparing for the 2022 World Cup.
“Obviously, a lot has changed,” Reyna said according to Reuters. “(I’m) married now. Have a dog. I just like to say, I matured and grown up in many aspects of my life. It’s hard to pinpoint one.”
Reyna continues to field questions about his maturity level because Gregg Berhalter, the USA’s coach for the 2022 World Cup, mentioned after the tournament was over that he nearly sent a player home.
Basic sleuthing revealed that player to be Reyna, who played just 53 minutes in the 2022 World Cup. That sparked a multi-generational row between Reyna’s family and Berhalter’s family.
“It doesn’t really affect me anymore,” Reyna said. “… It more confuses me when I get asked the question still. It’s obviously four years removed and I think everyone is so far removed from that.”
Reyna is among the 13 returnees on the USA’s 26-man roster for this World Cup. The 2022 squad finished as the Group B runner-up, which merited a spot in the Round of 16. Once there, the US fell 3-1 to the Netherlands.
Heading into Sunday’s friendly against Senegal in Charlotte, N.C., the Americans stand No 16 in FIFA’s official world rankings.
It’s too soon to know how much of an impact Reyna, 23, will have on this year’s squad. He wasn’t a cinch to make the team because he played little in the Bundesliga this season for Borussia Monchengladbach. He started just four matches and scored one goal in 137 total minutes.
“I think rhythm comes from game time, which I feel even those 30, 20-minute stints definitely help,” Reyna said.
“But in the end, it also comes down to training well every day and preparing yourself, which I feel like I try to do whether I’m playing 90 minutes in a good situation or not playing at all. So it’s just the consistent body of work every day showing up and trying to get better.”
