Out-Of-Form Star Makes U.S. World Cup Squad: Report

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June — and HuffPost will be live-blogging every twist, turn and controversy from the buildup through the final of what’s widely shaping up to be the most political soccer tournament of all time.From the action on the pitch to the potential chaos off it, the storylines are already piling up: Iran’s possible non-participation amid Donald Trump’s war, the president’s close relationship with FIFA’s Peace Prize-awarding President Gianni Infantino, and simmering tensions between the U.S. and fellow host nations Mexico and Canada fueled by Trump’s tariffs and divisive rhetoric.Trump’s travel bans could keep some fans out, there’s been fury over soaring ticket prices, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents could be present at games as the Trump administration continues its anti-immigration crackdown.Not to mention extreme heat concerns that scorched all those involved the last time the U.S. hosted the tournament some 32 years ago, in 1994.And that’s all before a ball has been kicked.U.S. President Donald Trump received the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino in December.Andrew Harnik via Getty ImagesOn the field, the men’s national teams from 48 countries will compete in a record 104 matches across the three host nations in what will be the biggest World Cup in history.Mexico will take on South Africa at the iconic Mexico City Stadium in the opening game on June 11. The U.S. will play Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12, Australia in Seattle on June 19 and Turkey back in Los Angeles on June 25, in the group games, before potentially competing in the later knockout rounds.The final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, which is being temporarily rebranded as the New York/New Jersey Stadium for the competition.Current European champions Spain are favorites to lift the trophy. Defending champions Argentina, of Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi fame, along with France, England and Brazil, are also expected to be in the mix.Check out the full games schedule on the FIFA website.Follow along with our coverage below:Out-Of-Form Star Makes U.S. World Cup Squad: ReportThe biggest question leading up to the announcement of the United States' World Cup roster apparently was answered on Friday when The Athletic reported that Gio Reyna made the squad.Reyna, 23, is a skillful playmaker, but his extensive injury history, lack of form at the club level and past attitude issues with the national team make him a controversial choice by coach Mauricio Pochettino.In the current season, Reyna made only four starts and appeared in just 19 games for Borussia Monchengladbach. He managed just one goal and no assists. He played the prior six seasons for Borussia Dortmund in Germany (along with a brief loan spell with Nottingham Forest in England). After starting 23 times and logging four goals and five assists for Dortmund in 2020-21, Reyna saw his playing time greatly limited due to injuries in ensuing years.Reyna has nine goals in 36 games for the U.S. men's national team, but his greatest domestic fame might have come as a result of his lack of playing time at the 2022 World Cup. He reportedly was nearly kicked off the squad due to his reaction to being a reserve.The other big surprise regarding the reported U.S. roster is the absence of Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna. In 18 national-team appearances, the 22-year-old has four goals. He is known for his gritty approach, personified by him staying in a friendly last year against Costa Rica despite breaking his nose.Players who were on the bubble but did make the U.S. squad, according the report, were Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner, Toulouse (France) center back Mark McKenzie and Leeds United (England) winger Brenden Aaronson.Berhalter, 25, is the son of ex-USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.Pochettino is scheduled to reveal the 26-man roster at a Tuesday event in New York.Latest Live UpdatesSoccer Star’s World Cup Plans Hit Snag After Passport TheftSaudi Arabia defender Saud Abdulhamid will arrive late to the national team's camp ahead of the World Cup after his passport was stolen during a break-in in Amsterdam, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation said on Monday."The Saudi Arabian Football Federation wishes to provide an official update regarding Saud Abdulhamid's delayed arrival at the national team's training camp as preparations continue for the final phase ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026," SAFF said in a statement."The player was unable to travel to Riyadh today as scheduled after his private vehicle was broken into in Amsterdam, where he was with his family for his wedding ceremony. The incident resulted in the loss of personal belongings, including his passport."SAFF said it was working with authorities to resolve the issue."The Saudi Arabian Football Federation is coordinating with the Ministry of Sport to follow up on the investigation and is also working with the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Netherlands to issue the necessary documents to enable the player to join the squad," the statement added.Abdulhamid, who plays for French side RC Lens on loan from Italy's AS Roma, has been named in newly appointed coach Georgios Donis's 30-man preliminary squad.The Saudi national team has travelled to the United States for training camps in New York and Texas, where they will fine-tune their preparations with friendlies against Ecuador, Puerto Rico and Senegal.Saudi Arabia will compete in Group H at the World Cup alongside Spain, Uruguay and Cape Verde.Spain Heads To World Cup Without A Single Real Madrid PlayerEuropean champions Spain will travel to next month's World Cup with plenty of Barcelona swagger but no-one from Real Madrid after manager Luis de la Fuente named a 26-man squad on Monday built around eight players from the Catalan club.It is the first time since 1950 that Spain will go to a World Cup without a Real Madrid player in their squad, a striking absence for the 15-times Champions League winners as De la Fuente prepares to lead one of the tournament favourites.Defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among the Real Madrid names to miss out, leaving Barcelona to provide the spine of a team chasing Spain's second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph in South Africa.De la Fuente played down the absence of the club's players, preferring to highlight those who are in the squad."I'm the manager and I don't look at where the players come from. They're national team players; I don't look at one club or another. I don't have the same local bias that a fan might have. All I want is for these players to feel proud to represent the national team," De la Fuente told reporters.Barcelona's contingent includes Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, while seven players called up are based in the Premier League."Excitement is the key word. Passion," De la Fuente said."The reaction of people all over Spain - adults and children alike - is that they are fully behind the national team. It is an honour for me to represent the national team."Arsenal provide three of Spain's Premier League-based players in goalkeeper David Raya and midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, while Manchester City's Rodri gives De la Fuente a commanding presence in midfield.The coach also addressed the injury concern regarding Yamal and Nico Williams, who will arrive at the tournament nursing hamstring issues."We're very relaxed. Barring any setbacks, we'll have everyone available from the very first match. We're in close contact with the clubs' medical teams," he said."We'll call on them when we deem it appropriate. I'd like to reiterate that we'll have everyone in top form and we'll be able to enjoy watching them in the tournament."Spain will arrive at the World Cup carrying the confidence of their European Championship triumph in Germany two years ago, but with the weight of expectation from a passionate fanbase.Spain squad:Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona)Defenders: Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Gavi (Barcelona), Pedri (Barcelona), Fabian Ruiz (Paris St Germain), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid)Forwards: Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Victor Munoz (Osasuna), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Borja Iglesias (Celta)Shakira And Burna Boy Drop Star-Studded World Cup Anthem VideoShakira and Burna Boy have released the official video for their 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai.”The video features cameo appearances from stars hoping to light up this summer’s tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr. and Rodri.Watch the video on YouTube.White House Issues World Cup Isolation Warning To DR Congo Squad Amid Ebola OutbreakThe Democratic Republic of Congo have no plans to change their warm-up preparations for the World Cup despite a warning from the United States that the team must isolate for 21 days before arriving in the country, a team official said on Saturday.Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, confirmed to ESPN on Friday that the Congolese delegation needed to maintain a bubble where they are training in Belgium and isolate for 21 days or risk being denied entry after a deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus in the central African country.The Congolese team are to be based in Houston at the tournament and will play an opening Group K fixture against Portugal on June 17, followed by matches against Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and against Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta."We've been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on June 11," Giuliani said."We've made it very clear to the Congo government as well that they need to maintain that bubble or they risk not being able to travel to the United States. We cannot be any clearer."But a team spokesperson said that at this stage there was no change to their schedule in the coming weeks, which includes a friendly against Denmark in Liege, Belgium, on June 3 and another against Chile in Cadiz, Spain, six days later.The team had planned a three-day trip to Kinshasa next week as a celebratory send-off before heading to their first World Cup in 52 years but that was cancelled before the U.S. warning."We have kept our training programme. No player in the squad has come from DR Congo," the official said."The friendly matches are still scheduled. The only modification to the programme has been the cancellation of the Kinshasa leg."The entire squad of players are based outside the DR Congo, mostly in Europe, including coach Sebastien Desabre. A few team officials arrived at the training camp in Belgium from the DRC earlier this week.The World Health Organization on Friday raised to "very high" the risk of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola turning into a national outbreak in the DRC and has declared the outbreak there and in neighbouring Uganda an emergency of international concern.Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been recorded following the outbreak in DRC.Iran Moves World Cup Base Out Of U.S.Iran’s World Cup training base has been moved from the United States to Mexico with the approval of FIFA, the president of the governing body of Iranian soccer said Saturday.Read more here:Injury Blow For Lionel Messi, Just Before World CupInter Miami star captain Lionel Messi appeared to suffer a leg injury after grabbing his left thigh, forcing him out in the 73rd minute of a 6-4 home victory over the Philadelphia Union on Sunday night.In the 70th minute, the two-time reigning MLS MVP could be seen grabbing at the upper section of his left thigh following a free kick. The Argentine legend requested a substitution, then headed to the locker room after Mateo Silvetti replaced him.Messi, 28, who has a league-leading 20 goal contributions (12 goals, eight assists) in 14 matches this season, was able to get up and leave the field under his own power. In his fourth season with Inter Miami, Messi has 107 goal contributions (62 goals, 45 assists) in 67 games (59 starts).Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos, while admitting he hadn't spoken with Messi after the match, wasn't particularly concerned about the departure."As far as I know, we don't have a report on that yet, but he really was fatigued. It was fatigue," Hoyos said after the match. "Yes, it was fatigue. He was tired, the field was heavy, and rather than doubt, you always say not to take the risk."MLS began a six-week break after Sunday's matches with the FIFA World Cup set to begin June 11 and run through July 19.Messi is expected to play for Argentina, the defending World Cup champions, though this year's squad has yet to be announced. Argentina's first match in Group J play is June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City. Argentina will prep for group stage play with friendlies against Honduras on June 6 at Texas A&M's Kyle Field and Iceland on June 9 at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium.Alexi Lalas Trashes U.S. Players’ World Cup Pressure Talk: 'Bunch Of Whiners'Alexi Lalas doesn’t want to hear U.S. players citing pressure ahead of playing in a World Cup at home and says Christian Pulisic, the top American, is “never going to be the leader.”“Cry me a river, OK, when it comes to the pressure. Bunch of whiners, that they’re whining about the pressure,” Lalas said Thursday at a Fox event to promote its World Cup coverage.Read more here:End Of An Era: Pep Guardiola To Leave Manchester CityPep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the season after a decade in charge, the club announced on Friday, bringing an end to one of the most successful eras in English soccer and one of the most influential managerial reigns of all time.The departure of the 55-year-old Catalan coach will close the book on a remarkable chapter that has seen City transform into a footballing juggernaut.Guardiola, who took charge of City in 2016, has won six Premier League titles -- including four in a row -- three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League, but his side have not won the league in two years."Don't ask me the reasons I'm leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it's my time," Guardiola said in a statement."Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City."We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way."Although City sealed the domestic cup double this season, Guardiola saw his dreams of a seventh Premier League crown dashed when they drew 1-1 at Bournemouth on Tuesday to hand Arsenal the title, with City set to finish second.His final game in charge is Sunday's home fixture against Aston Villa.RECORD-BREAKING CAMPAIGNSGuardiola had arrived in Manchester with a resume already stuffed with silverware from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, taking over from Manuel Pellegrini in July 2016.After inheriting a successful club financed by the Abu Dhabi United Group, Guardiola will walk away having built a footballing empire after overseeing a paradigm shift in Premier League tactics.As Guardiola faced the challenge of adapting to England's famously fast-paced and physical league, possession became an art form and a defensive tool at City as his teams craved complete control.The result was not just utter dominance -- evidenced by record-breaking campaigns like the 100-point 2017-18 season with 106 goals scored -- but also relentless consistency year after year, including a record four league titles in a row.Guardiola's squads set new standards, forcing other teams to evolve, while City's financial muscle combined with shrewd signings such as the much sought-after striker Erling Haaland helped deliver the treble in 2022-23.However, the spectre of the 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules looms large over his tenure at the club.GUARDIOLA RAISED THE BARHis rivalry with former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp raised the bar in the Premier League so high that even 97 points proved insufficient for the Anfield side to claim the title in 2018-19.More recently, Guardiola has faced a challenge from his protege and former coaching assistant Mikel Arteta, who took charge at Arsenal and finished second behind City twice before ultimately winning the trophy this season.But Guardiola looked back fondly at his time in Manchester, remembering how the city came together after the Manchester Arena attack while also describing how the club helped him through a tough period when he lost his mother to COVID."The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most," he added."Players don't forget - every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don't know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy."Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me... Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem, 'This is the place'. I'm sorry, Tony: this is my place."Ebola Risk At World Cup Is Low, Says Global Health AcademicThe risk of Ebola affecting fans at the World Cup is low, according to Dr Oliver Johnson, a global health academic at King's College London, but heightened screening and travel restrictions could complicate logistics.The expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 to July 19.An Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded around 600 suspected cases and more than 130 deaths, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concern.The situation has already disrupted DR Congo's World Cup preparations. The team cancelled pre-tournament events in Kinshasa and relocated plans to Belgium.U.S. authorities have also barred entry to non-U.S. passport holders who have been in DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the past 21 days, forcing Congo-based staff to depart early.The squad is due to arrive in the U.S. on June 10 or 11 and will be based in Houston."If you are a casual visitor to the World Cup from around the world, I think there is a very low risk that you would be at risk of Ebola," Johnson told Reuters. "Ebola has never really caused transmission in high-income country settings, where there have been very occasional cases."That is because it is not airborne. You had to normally have direct contact with someone who is quite sick, and there is usually good contact tracing. If a case does occur, it is identified quickly."Johnson said the outbreak could still have broader implications.U.S. authorities have introduced enhanced screening for travellers arriving at Washington Dulles who have recently been in affected countries, while health agencies are working with FIFA and local officials to manage potential risks."It will affect things like airport queues and screening, which will slow things down," Johnson said. "It is going to add a little extra stress and it's going to cost money to the U.S. to try and organise."I think the other possibility is that we hope this outbreak is not going to spread beyond DR Congo.... That could cause a knock-on effect of travel bans or extra screening, and it could happen quite last minute."Fans travelling to the tournament should follow basic precautions such as good hand hygiene and avoiding close contact if unwell, Johnson added. He advised supporters to respect others and avoid stigma, helping preserve the inclusive spirit of the World Cup.DR Congo open their campaign against Portugal in Houston before facing Colombia in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan in Atlanta.Notable Stars Left Out Of England World Cup SquadEngland will head to next month's World Cup without several familiar faces after midfielders Phil Foden and Cole Palmer missed the cut as manager Thomas Tuchel announced his squad on Friday.Manchester City's Foden and Chelsea's Palmer had both been vying for the No.10 role but have found themselves overtaken in Tuchel's pecking order after disappointing seasons.Real Madrid right back Trent Alexander-Arnold was also overlooked, having featured only once since Tuchel took charge in 2025.There was a surprise recall for striker Ivan Toney, who has not featured for England for 12 months while Brentford's veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson goes to his fourth World Cup.Manchester United centre back Harry Maguire, a mainstay of England's defence at recent tournaments, was also omitted, and there was no place for Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White despite an impressive season.England are one of the main favourites for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.They are in Group L with Croatia, Ghana and Panama.Squad:Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Man City).Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), John Stones (Man City), Marc Guehi (Man City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Nico O'Reilly (Man City), Djed Spence (Tottenham), Tino Livramento (Newcastle).Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal).Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Noni Madueke (Arsenal).See All Updates