Gio Reyna makes US soccer debut, a day before 18th birthday

Gio Reyna was in the starting lineup to make his U.S. national team debut against Wales at Swansea on Thursday night on the day before his 18th birthday, joining his father and mother as the first three-member family in American history to make international soccer appearances.

Reyna, who has become a regular at Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, was among three forwards set to make their debuts, joined by 19-year-old Konrad de la Fuente of Barcelona and 20-year-old Nicholas Gioacchini of Caen. Reyna became just the 12th player to make an appearance before turning 18.

Claudio Reyna was a U.S. captain and played in three World Cups. He was 20 years, 5 months, 26 days when he made the first of 112 national team appearances as a 61st-minute substitute in an exhibition against Norway at Tempe, Arizona, on Jan. 15, 1994.

Danielle Egan was 19 years, 6 months, 14 days when she made the first of six international appearances in a friendly against Germany at Agai, Cyprus, on March 14, 1993. She married Claudio Reyna in 1997.

Zack Steffen is in goal for the United States, Sergiño Dest at right back, Matt Miazga and John Brooks in central defense, and Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Sebastian Lletget in midfield.

Starters average 22 years, 48 days, the fourth-youngest starting lineup in U.S. men’s team history, and eight previous appearances.

This is just the third time the U.S. started players together from England’s Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s Serie A. The others were in a pair of October 2010 exhibitions, against Poland and Colombia,

Steffen captains the U.S. for the first time in his 18th appearance, and Dest started at right back for the first time after making three starts on the left.

Adams makes his first appearance since March 21, 2019, against Ecuador, and Robinson makes his first since June 5, 2019, against Jamaica.

(Image credit: AP)