Giovanni Reyna
A technically sublime American midfielder who carries the legacy of soccer royalty into a new generation of the US national team.
Born 2002 (age 24)·American soccer player·Birthday: November 13·Generation Z
Biography
The son of U.S. soccer captain Claudio Reyna and former player Danielle Egan, Giovanni Reyna was born with the sport in his blood. He honed his skills in the youth academies of New York City FC before making a bold move to Germany's Borussia Dortmund as a teenager. His rise was meteoric; he debuted for Dortmund's first team at 17 and quickly became the youngest American to appear in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. Reyna's game is defined by a silky first touch, visionary passing, and a fearlessness in taking on defenders. While his young career has been punctuated by frustrating muscle injuries, his talent is undeniable. When fit, he is a creative linchpin for both his club and the U.S. Men's National Team, embodying the technical sophistication the American program has long sought to cultivate.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Giovanni was born in 2002, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Giovanni Was Born
The biggest hits of 2002
#1 Movie
Spider-Man
Best Picture
Chicago
#1 TV Show
Friends
Giovanni's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2002Born
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2007Started school
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2015Became a teenager
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Could drive
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2020Could vote
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2023Turned 21
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 24 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the youngest American to play in a DFB-Pokal final, doing so for Borussia Dortmund in 2021.
- Won the U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year award in 2020.
- Scored his first international goal for the United States in a 2021 CONCACAF Nations League final against Mexico.
- Made his Bundesliga debut for Borussia Dortmund at the age of 17 years and 66 days.
Did You Know?
He is named after the legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff (Giovanni is the Italian form of John).
He and Christian Pulisic were teammates on the NYCFC youth team before both moved to the Bundesliga.
He holds both American and Portuguese citizenship.
He played for the U.S. at the U-15, U-16, U-17, and senior levels.
“I want to be the best player on the field every single game.”
