Gio Reyna Shines in Bundesliga Return After World Cup Drama

The midfielder played in his first game for Dortmund since November.

Gio Reyna has endured a tumultuous past few months, barely playing for the USMNT at the World Cup in a dramatic saga that led to an incident involving his parents and head coach Gregg Berhalter.

But on Sunday, Reyna returned to the pitch for the first time for Dortmund in the Bundesliga, and he immediately made an impact.

Eight minutes after he entered the game as a sub, Reyna scored to break a tie between Dortmund and Augsburg. Reyna’s goal ultimately would be the game-winning score. To celebrate, Reyna ran to the corner and put his fingers in his ears, presumably signaling that he’s blocking out off-the-field noise.

Claudio and Daniella Reyna reportedly were upset over how Berhalter coached their son in the World Cup, leading to them notify U.S. Soccer about a domestic violence incident between Berhalter and his now-wife when the two were dating in 1991. Berhalter, who is not currently under contract with the USMNT, has since addressed the incident in a statement.

In a social media post, Gio Reyna said he apologized to the team for his behavior at the World Cup, where his preparation came under scrutiny.

Reyna has played for Dortmund since 2019, recording eight goals and seven assists in four seasons entering Sunday’s game. He last appeared in a game for the team before the World Cup started in November.