Although he plays for the US Men’s National Team, not many soccer fans know that Giovanni Reyna was born in Europe. He spent much of his childhood growing up in New York City alongside his siblings, Jack, Joah, and Carolina. Interestingly, Giovanni was named after the Dutch retired soccer player and manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The American soccer star is the son of Claudio and Danielle Egan, coming from a family with a rich history in the sport. He was born while his father was playing for Sunderland. In 2007, when Giovanni was five years old, his family moved back to the United States and settled in Bedford, New York.
Giovanni Reyna’s rise in the soccer world has earned him the nickname “The American Dream,” given to him by none other than his former teammate, Erling Haaland. This article delves deeper into Giovanni Reyna’s career and offers insight into his family history, including the poignant memory of losing his brother, Jack, who died of brain cancer in the year 2012, at the age of 13.
Inside Giovanni Reyna History: The American Dream Born in Europe
Our Giovanni Reyna Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood story, Early Life, Parents – Danielle Egan Reyna (Mother), Claudio Reyna (Father), Family, Girlfriend, Lifestyle, Net worth, Personal life, etc.
In a nutshell, this is a story of the footballer’s life journey, from his boyhood days to when he became famous.
To whet your autobiography appetite, here is his cradle-to-fame gallery — a perfect summary of Giovanni Reyna’s Biography.
The Untold Biography of Giovanni Reyna.
Yes, everyone knows he is the little wonder of Borussia Dortmund. Alongside Ricardo Pepi, Legendary George Weah‘s son Timothy Weah, Medford star Brenden Aaronson, and Sergiño Dest, Giovanni is considered the future of the USMNT.
We observe a knowledge deficit in our mission to tell you the stories of US Soccer players. The truth is, not many people have read Giovanni Reyna’s Biography, which is quite interesting. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.
Giovanni Reyna Childhood Story:
One of the earliest known childhood photos of Giovanni Reyna.
For Biography starters, he is nicknamed “Captain America“. Giovanni Alejandro Reyna was born on the 13th day of November 2002 in the city of Sunderland in England.
He is the second of four children born to his mother, Danielle Egan Reyna and his father, Claudio Reyna.
Although Giovanni was born in Europe, he is widely known as an American national because he spent the better part of his childhood growing up in New York City alongside his older brother, Jack and younger siblings – Joah and Carolina.
Childhood Photo of Giovanni (far left) Growing up in New York alongside his brothers and sister.
Growing up in New York, Giovanni was a freakish natural athlete who had what it took to fare in any kind of track and field event.
In fact, he had early interests in golf and could dunk a basketball before he turned five years old.
By the time Giovanni was eventually five years old, he had begun playing football in parks, to the delight of his parents, who were more than happy to have their second son signify interest in soccer and adopt it as one of his childhood sports.
Giovanni Reyna Family Background:
The first thing to know about this soccer wizard is that he has a diverse heritage: Argentine and Portuguese roots from his father’s side and Irish-American ancestry from his mother’s side. Yes, Giovanni’s dad and mom were not poor, but the delight they had in his childhood soccer endeavours was justifiable as both parents have a rich history of playing the sport.
To start with Giovanni’s mom, she was an ex-professional footballer and a former member of the United States women’s national soccer team.
Pictured below is a lovely photo of Giovanni Reyna’s parents (Claudio and Danielle Egan).
Meet Giovanni Reyna’s parents. Claudio and Danielle have been there for their son since day one.
On his part, Giovanni’s dad was also a United States international who has a history of playing for Glasgow Rangers, Manchester City and Sunderland, where his second son was born.
Thus, it was only natural they took delight in Giovanni’s interest in treading their paths to build a career in the sport.
Giovanni Reyna Education and Career Buildup:
When the time was right, a young and ambitious Giovanni became part of the New York City Football Club (NYCFC) academy system, where he began building an earnest career in soccer education.
He became a part of NYCFC at a very young age.
Understanding their boy’s desire to play football for a living, Giovanni Reyna’s parents (Claudio and Danielle Egan) did all they could to support his aspirations.
While Giovanni was learning the trade, he paid close attention to instructions and was not found lacking in physical and mental development.
In fact, he was an amazing football prodigy who knew that he had a bright future in football.
Giovanni Reyna Biography – Early Years in Football:
As such, Giovanni’s rise through the ranks was fast and, most importantly, on merit because his dad – Claudio, was the sporting director of NYCFC but did not use the long arm of influence in promoting selfish desires for the youngster.
Thus, Giovanni’s progress was transparent and appreciable to his peers and coaches, who came to the conclusion that he was a natural with prospects that would make the academy proud in the future.
Giovanni’s bright future in the sport was earlier seen by his mates and coaches at NYCFC.
Giovanni Reyna Bio – Road To Fame Story:
At the peak of Giovanni’s sporting endeavours at NYCFC, he did considerably well to help his team win the Generation Adidas Cup in April 2017, a tournament that saw the then 14-year-old also emerge as the best player.
What more? Giovanni went on to help the US U15s win the prestigious Torneo Delle Nazioni youth tournament and had a strong 2017/18 finish with the NYCFC by scoring 13 goals in 17 appearances.
Can you spot him among the celebrating team?
Giovanni Reyna Biography – The Rise To Fame Story:
With such outstanding performances, it was not surprising that Borussia Dortmund did not waste time in securing the services of the midfielder.
He was initially made to play for the German side U19s team in 2019/20 before earning a promotion to the club’s first team during the winter break.
Upon making his Bundesliga debut for Borussia Dortmund, it was recorded after record for Giovanni, who upset Christian Pulisic by becoming the youngest American to ever appear in the Bundesliga.
Did you know that Giovanni also became the youngest goalscorer in German Cup history when he found the back of the net in a 2–3 defeat to Werder Bremen during the DFB-Pokal Round of 16?
Just 15 days later, Giovanni Reyna achieved another milestone by becoming the youngest American to play in and assist a goal in a Champions League match. His crucial assist to Erling Håland secured Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 victory over PSG, etching his name in football history.
See who gave Erling Håland the assist that made Dortmund victorious.
Who is Giovanni Reyna’s Girlfriend?
Fans and the press are eager to delve into Giovanni’s personal life beyond his football achievements, speculating about his romantic relationships and even questioning if he has a secret spouse.
However, at the time of writing this biography, Giovanni Reyna was only 17 years old and had no children or any known romantic attachments.
Young, successful, and handsome Giovanni is single as of February 2020.
There is no doubt that the midfielder does not consider having a girlfriend or wife as a priority.
This is coming as he is set on solidifying his position with Borussia Dortmund’s first team. More so, he etched his name on the marbles of young football geniuses to watch out for in the next decade of top-flight football.
Giovanni Reyna Family Life:
It is undeniably true that a family that is into sports stays together. In this section, we’ll bring you facts about Giovanni’s family members, starting with his parents.
Getting to know Giovanni Reyna’s Family Life.
About Giovanni Reyna’s Father:
Giovanni Reyna’s father, Claudio Reyna, has roots that trace back to Argentina and Portugal, reflecting his diverse family heritage. As ex-professionals would act, Claudio played an active role in Giovanni’s youthful training and was instrumental in his rise to top-flight football.
About Giovanni Reyna’s Mother:
Great sporting mothers have produced sporting sons, and the mother of Giovanni Reyna isn’t an exception.
Danielle Egan Reyna is an American retired soccer player who once played for the United States women’s national soccer team in 1993. Pictured below with Giovanni (her son), both indeed share a unique bond.
More about Giovanni Reyna’s Mum, Danielle Egan.
About Giovanni Reyna’s Siblings and Relatives:
The midfielder has three siblings with whom he grew up. They include his older brother, Jack, and younger siblings – Joah and Carolina.
Like Giovanni, Jack had early interests in football and basketball but suffered from childhood cancer, which brought about his untimely death when he was only 13 years of age.
Speaking of the midfielder’s remaining siblings, his younger brother Joah has an interest in cooking and soccer, while the only daughter of the family – Carolina, is into several sports at the time of writing Giovanni Reyna’s biography.
Photo of the midfielder with his mom, dad and siblings.
Giovanni Reyna Personal Life:
Turning away from football, Giovanni Reyna’s personal life reveals a personality rich in traits often associated with Scorpios: passion, intuition, ambition, and outstanding qualities.
The midfielder prefers to keep his private life relatively quiet, but he enjoys interests and hobbies such as playing golf, following basketball games, and spending quality time with friends and family.
This is a rare photo of Giovanni playing golf for leisure.
Giovanni Reyna Lifestyle:
Giovanni’s net worth is currently under review, but his market value stands at €6 million. Despite this, he’s not known for extravagant spending like some of his teammates who flaunt luxury cars and lavish homes in Germany. However, he maintains a classy appearance for special occasions and gatherings with friends.
It is not every time you see midfielders dress classy, but Giovanni does. Image Credit: Instagram.
Giovanni Reyna Facts:
To wrap up our Giovanni Reyna’s childhood story and biography, here are little-known or untold facts about him.
Salary Breakdown:
Ever since he busted into the Dortmund football scene, lots of fans have taken to the internet in a bid to know how much Giovanni Reyna earns.
Giovanni Reyna earns about €600,000 annually from his contract with BVB. Surprisingly, this breaks down to approximately €50,000 per month, which is equivalent to what an average German man earns in 1.1 years.
Tattoos:
It is evident that Giovanni had no body art at the time of writing. He is rather in love with flaunting spotless skin on his moderate-impressive height of 6 feet and 1 inch.
He sure looks good without tattoos. Image Credit: Instagram.
Smoking and drinking:
Giovanni does not smoke or drink irresponsibly. As a professional, his aware of the need to stay healthy and sharp at all times for his best interests.
FIFA rating:
Giovanni has a not-too-impressive overall FIFA rating of 63 as of February 2014. Notwithstanding, there is no dismissing the fact that his ratings are up for meteoric increase. This is because he only has a few months of experience playing top-flight football at the time this FIFA card was created. Gio joins the likes of Malik Tillman, who has great potential rating as an attacking midfielder.
There is always a humble beginning. Image Credit: SoFIFA.
Giovanni Reyna Religion:
The midfielder is not big on religion at the time of writing. As such, his bearing on matters of faith cannot be conclusively deduced.
Notwithstanding, it is most likely that Giovanni Reyna’s parents must have raised him to adopt Christian religious beliefs.
Final Note:
Please stay tuned for more from our Attacking Midfielders Directory. The childhood stories of Weston McKennie (CM), Walker Zimmerman, and Daichi Kamada will interest you. Thanks for reading the Childhood Story and Biography of Giovanni Reyna – a Footballer often labelled as The American Football Dream.
We strive for accuracy and fairness in our continuous quest to deliver you American Soccer Stories. If you find something that doesn’t look right, please share it with us by commenting below. We’ll always value and respect your ideas.
