Reyna's World Cup Joy
Gio Reyna Scores First World Cup Goal, Announces Pregnancy Amidst USMNT Victory
Key Points
Reyna described the ear-covering celebration as a private inside reference, saying it was “just something between me and my friends,” rather than elaborating publicly on the specific criticism.
Reyna said his parents Claudio and Danielle (both former U.S. internationals) and his wife Chloe urged him not only to shoot more but to “be a bit selfish at times.”
U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino joined Reyna’s celebration by running off the sideline after the goal.
Reyna’s wife, Chloe Ortolano, is a Norwalk, Connecticut native who played college soccer at Providence and majored in marketing; the couple got engaged in 2024 and married in 2025.
On why he scored with a trivela, Reyna said the choice wasn’t deliberate: “when I’m playing, I’m not really thinking. I’m just doing whatever felt natural… I was in a good area, and I got a good pass, and I just saw the angle, far post.”
Gio Reyna scored his first-ever World Cup goal in the 98th minute — a stunning trivela strike with the outside of his boot — as the United States routed Paraguay 4-1 in the 2026 World Cup opener at SoFi Stadium on June 12. The win, in front of 70,492 fans in Los Angeles, matches the largest margin of victory in U.S. men's World Cup history, a record that had stood since 1930, according to The Guardian.
Then came the celebration. Reyna covered his ears — a nod to his critics — and placed the ball under his jersey before sucking his thumb. The gesture, a long-standing football tradition used by players for decades, was Reyna's way of announcing that his wife, Chloe, is pregnant with their first child. "I've known for a couple of months," Reyna said afterward. "It was the perfect time."
A Historic Blowout Built on Clinical Finishing
The U.S. took control early. A Damián Bobadilla own goal gave the Americans the lead in the 7th minute, with Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic doing the creative work. Folarin Balogun then scored twice — in the 31st minute and again in first-half stoppage time — to put the U.S. up 3-0 at the break. Reyna's trivela into the far post in the 98th minute sealed it at 4-1, according to U.S. Soccer.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino sprinted off the sideline to join Reyna's celebration. He later said the team was "winning a lot of fans, and adding fans for this sport," per The Guardian. The dominant display has analysts calling this U.S. squad the most technically polished in a generation.
Reyna Puts the 2022 Drama Behind Him — Mostly
Reyna entered this tournament carrying baggage. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a public rift between his family and then-coach Gregg Berhalter nearly sent him home early over concerns about his effort and conduct, according to ca.headtopics.com. The fallout followed him for years. His club career stalled with injuries at Borussia Dortmund and limited minutes elsewhere before he moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach in August 2025 for a reported €4–7 million.
Asked directly about Qatar, Reyna was measured. "Banishing the demons of 2022 wasn't on my mind," he said. His ear-covering celebration told a different story to many observers — though Reyna insisted it was "just something between me and my friends," per malaysia.news.yahoo.com. Whatever the meaning, the goal itself did the loudest talking.
Family Told Him to Shoot More — He Listened
Reyna said his parents, Claudio and Danielle — both former U.S. internationals — had been pushing him to take more risks in front of goal. His wife Chloe had too. Their message: "Shoot more. Be a bit selfish at times." On the trivela, Reyna said he wasn't overthinking it. "When I'm playing, I'm not really thinking. I'm just doing whatever felt natural... I saw the angle, far post," he said, per Fox News.
Chloe Ortolano, now pregnant with the couple's first child, is a Norwalk, Connecticut native who played college soccer at Providence and majored in marketing. She and Reyna got engaged in 2024 and married in July 2025 in Tarrytown, NY, according to ca.sports.yahoo.com. Reyna said he had known about the pregnancy for months and was waiting for exactly the right moment to share the news.
USMNT Now Atop Group D, Eyes Seattle Showdown
The 4-1 result puts the U.S. at the top of Group D with a +3 goal differential. Their next match is against Australia in Seattle on June 19. A win there would all but lock up a spot in the knockout rounds, according to CBS News. The U.S. is now widely seen as favorites to advance from the group with ease.
For Reyna, the night marked a turning point — his 10th international goal, his first on the World Cup stage, and the moment he told the world his family was growing. Pochettino has stood by Reyna all season despite the difficult club form at Mönchengladbach. That loyalty, for now, looks fully vindicated.
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