#NYCFC product Gio Reyna teases future Christian Pulisic partnership on USMNT

While the pandemic likely delayed the former NYCFC academy player’s debut for the senior US men’s national team, his comments in an upcoming ESPN segment will have fans salivating over his inevitable call-up.

After excelling in the NYCFC youth ranks and making his breakthrough for Borussia Dortmund this year, there are obvious parallels to be drawn to his compatriot (and former Dortmund player) Christian Pulisic. Soon, they may be teammates.

“The idea of us playing together is really exciting,” Reyna said in a “SportsCenter” profile set to air Sunday at 8 a.m. “I think people should start looking at that more than comparing us. If we get… me and Christian playing together I think it’ll be very exciting for the next, I don’t know, 10 years or 15 years.

“It would mean everything, to finally make the jump to the first team and play along these guys like Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie.”

Although the men’s national team canceled two friendlies scheduled for March and CONCACAF Nations League games set for June were postponed, Reyna has previously donned the stars and stripes through the U-17 level. Reyna captained the US at the 2019 U-17 World Cup, and he’ll be continuing a family tradition when he takes the field for the senior team. His father is former national team captain (and NYCFC sporting director) Claudio Reyna, and women’s national team midfielder Danielle Reyna (formerly Egan) is his mom.

“It’s such a part of our family history, and [Gio playing for the USMNT] would be a very, very special — I’m sure I’ll cry then, when I see him the first time doing that too,” she said.

Reyna’s national team hopes were also given a boost in a segment featuring United States head coach Gregg Berhalter.

“Gio’s gotten first team minutes, he’s gotten first team starts and when a player is able to play at that level and maintain his position at that level, there’s no real limit to what he can do on the international stage,” Berhalter said.

Aside from his national team prospects, the segment also touched on the sad story of his big brother Jack, who passed away from brain cancer in 2012 at 13 years old. Gio also spoke of his loneliness in Germany at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I was pretty much just alone in my apartment all day, not knowing what’s gonna happen,” he said.

Now, Reyna is back playing with Dortmund teammates during the club’s preseason, ahead of a campaign where he will hope to build on the two starts and one assist he posted in the Bundesliga last year. His dad is eager to see what his second season in Germany will bring.

“He’s still in this learning phase of his career,” he said, “so I’m just excited and can’t wait for it.”