- Graeme Bailey
- 20 June 2022
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The 18-year-old midfielder was born in Sunderland, England, while his father was playing for Sunderland FC. Giovanni was part of his hometown academy club, New York City FC, before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2019.
BVB have a strong scouting network in the USA and had previously signed American wonderkid Christian Pulisic, now at Chelsea.
Since signing at Signal Iduna Park, Reyna has already broken several records and was rewarded with a new contract at Dortmund until 2026.
After struggling with injuries and reduced to substitute appearances he was loaned to Premier League club Nottingham Forest in January 2024.
Borussia breakthrough
When Reyna signed for Dortmund, BVB legend and youth coordinator Lars Ricken told ESPN that "he is one of the most promising young talents worldwide."
Reyna initially played for Dortmund's Under-19s but was swiftly promoted after scoring four goals and notching seven assists in 11 games for the young BVB side.
Aged 17 years, two months and five days, Reyna went straight into the record books as the youngest player ever in the Bundesliga when he made his Dortmund debut against Augsburg in January 2020. Reyna beat previous record-holder Pulisic to the title.
In February 2020, Reyna claimed another record by scoring against Werder Bremen, making him the youngest American goalscorer in DFB Pokal history.
Later that month, Reyna set up Erling Haaland's winning goal in the Champions League game against Paris Saint Germain. Reyna became the youngest player to appear and record an assist in the Champions League.
His first Bundesliga goal came in September 2020 in a 3-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. The goal made the American the second youngest US scorer in Bundesliga history after Pulisic.
Then in October 2020, during a 4-0 rout of SC Freiburg, Reyna produced a hat-trick of assists, making him the youngest player ever to do so in the Bundesliga.
Reyna added to his burgeoning reputation in December 2020 by scoring an amazing goal against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
Reyna found space outside the Frankfurt box, controlled with a superlative first-touch, beat his man with the outside of his right boot before sweeping home into the top corner. It was labelled as a "Traum-Tor" or dream goal by the German media.
He was part of the squad that won the DFB-Pokal at the end of the 2020/21, coming on as a substitute in the final minutes of the match.
Reyna struggled with injuries in the 2021/22 season, but scored seven goals in 30 games in the following season but mainly from the bench.
In the 2023/24 season, his appearances were again mainly limited to substitute appearances and he was eventually loaned to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in January 2024.
USA debut
Reyna is qualified to play for the USA, England and Portugal, but has pledged his allegiance to the United States.
""I'm aware of the rumours, but it's quite clear for me. I only want to play for the United States. That's my home country," Reyna told Dortmund daily newspaper the Ruhr Nachrichten.
Reyna was picked up by the American national youth system at an early age, representing the US from U-15 right through to U-23 level.
He made his USA senior debut in November 2020 in a friendly against Wales in Swansea. Giovanni Reyna's first senior USA goal came from a free-kick against Panama in his second cap for his country later that month.
He was part of the US squad that won the CONCACAF Nations League in 2019/20 and 2022/23.
Reyna was also selected for the US side that went to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but only played 52 minutes across four matches due to a clash with head coach Gregg Berhalter.
Family ties
Giovanni's father, Claudio Reyna, played for Bayer Leverkusen, Glasgow Rangers, Sunderland, Manchester City and New York Red Bulls between 1994 and 2008.
Claudio named his son Giovanni after former team-mate at Rangers, Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
Claudio blazed a trail for his son by leaving the USA to join the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen in 1994.
"I think my dad's experience has helped a lot because he took a similar career path when he first went to Germany. Not only my dad - it started with my grandfather and my mother also played." he told bundesliga.com
It hasn't taken long for comparisons to be drawn between father and son with Giovanni Reyna noted for his passing ability, decision-making and well-timed runs into the box like his dad.
Claudio Reyna's nickname "Captain America" has already started to be used to refer to Giovanni.
Personal life
Giovanni Reyna's mother Danielle Reyna, formerly known as Danielle Egan, made six appearances for the US women's team.
Reyna has two siblings, a brother Joah-Mikel and a sister Carolina. His older brother Jack tragically died of brain cancer aged 13.
Away from football, Reyna likes to play the video game Fortnite.
Net worth
Reyna is rumoured to have a net worth of around $500,000. Although he is expected to sign a new contract in the near future which could earn him €2.5million a year.
