Giovanni Reyna comes from a soccer family where both parents played for the United States national teams. His father, Claudio Reyna, is a USMNT legend who played in four World Cups.
His mother, Danielle Egan Reyna, played for the USWNT and won NCAA championships at the University of North Carolina.
Reyna carries Argentine-Portuguese ethnicity from his father’s side and Irish-American heritage from his mother’s side.
Who Is Claudio Reyna? The USMNT Legend and Gio’s Father
Claudio Alejandro Reyna was born on July 20, 1973, in Livingston, New Jersey. His father, Miguel, moved to the United States in 1968 from Argentina, where he played in the youth system of Independiente and professionally with Los Andes.
Miguel settled in Springfield Township, New Jersey during the 1970s.
Claudio speaks fluent Spanish and conversational German. He is the son of an Argentine father and Portuguese American mother.
This dual heritage from his parents shaped his multicultural upbringing in New Jersey during the 1970s and 1980s.
Claudio played professional soccer from 1994 to 2008 and represented the United States from 1994 to 2006. He played at four World Cups for the USMNT.
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His club career included stints at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, VfL Wolfsburg, Rangers, Sunderland, Manchester City, and the New York Red Bulls.
After retiring, he moved into executive positions, most recently serving as Sporting Director at Austin FC.
Gio Reyna Wife: Chloe Ortolano Status and Wedding Plans
Gio is married to Chloe Ortolano since July 2025. The couple got engaged in June 2024.
Gio and Chloe were together for years before getting engaged. Gio announced the engagement on Instagram with a photo of the couple on the beach.
Chloe wore her engagement ring in the photo. Gio captioned the post with one word: “Forever,” along with an infinity symbol, a ring emoji, and a heart emoji.
His marriage to a former college soccer player continues the soccer family tradition into his own generation.
Chloe Ortolano played college soccer but chose not to pursue professional soccer at the elite level.
She comes from a soccer background and understands the demands of the sport through her own playing experience and her relationship with Gio.
Danielle Egan Reyna: The USWNT Player and Gio’s Mother
Danielle Egan Reyna played for the United States Women’s National Team and for the University of North Carolina.
She was part of the legendary 1993 UNC Tar Heels team that won the national championship. She earned six senior caps with the USWNT.
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Danielle comes from an Irish-American family on Long Island, New York. She and Claudio met in the hotel lobby during the 1994 World Cup in California. Claudio was speaking with some women’s players.
Danielle was looking for her roommate. Claudio used a simple pickup line: “Do you like pizza?” They talked all summer and married three years later.
Gio Chose to Play for the US, instead of Other Nations
Giovanni Reyna’s ethnicity reflects his parents’ backgrounds. From his father’s side, Gio carries Argentine heritage through his grandfather Miguel and Portuguese heritage through his grandmother, Maria Silva. From his mother’s side, he has Irish-American descent.
This mixed heritage gave Gio multiple international options. He is eligible to play for Argentina through his paternal grandfather.
He is eligible to play for Portugal through his paternal grandmother and holds a Portuguese passport.
He is eligible to play for England because he was born in Sunderland, England on November 13, 2002, when his father played for Sunderland AFC. However, Gio chose to represent the United States.
Birth in England and Childhood in New York
Giovanni was born in Sunderland while his father played for Sunderland AFC. He developed a Manchester accent in his early years that he eventually lost after the family moved back to the United States in 2007.
Gio grew up mostly in New York City alongside his older brother, Jack, and younger siblings, Joah and Carolina. The family lived a multicultural life, shaped by his father’s professional soccer career across Europe and the United States.
Family Tragedy: The Loss of Jack Reyna
The Reyna family experienced tragedy in July 2012 when Gio’s older brother Jack died of brain cancer at the age of 13. Gio was nine years old at the time. This loss profoundly affected the family and became a defining moment in Gio’s life and career.
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The family has spoken openly about Jack’s memory. Claudio recalled taking Jack to see Gio try out for a basketball team a few months before Jack’s death.
Jack told his father, “Dad, Gio is the best player here by far.” Claudio said Jack was never jealous and “absolutely thought Gio was incredible.”
Playing Career: New York City FC to Borussia Dortmund
Giovanni started playing soccer at age three. He played in the New York City FC youth academy for four years, where his father was working in the organization. He helped the U-16 team win the national championship in 2018.
At age 16, Gio joined Borussia Dortmund in November 2018. He was able to move abroad using a Portuguese passport earned through his paternal grandmother.
This move followed the path of Christian Pulisic, who also used the Bundesliga as a stepping stone in his career.
Gio made his Bundesliga debut in January 2020 against Augsburg, becoming the youngest American to play in Germany’s top flight, breaking the mark previously held by Pulisic.
He scored his first goal against Werder Bremen weeks later.
International Eligibility: Four Nations to Choose From
Due to his complex family heritage and birthplace, Gio was eligible to represent four nations: the United States (country of his parents and upbringing), Argentina (paternal grandfather), Portugal (paternal grandmother), and England (birthplace).
Despite these options, Gio committed to the United States. This choice meant joining his father, Claudio, as one of the few father-son duos to play for the USMNT.
The 2022 World Cup Controversy and Recovery
In the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Gio played only twice off the bench. Then-USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said an unnamed player, later identified as Reyna, was nearly sent home for a lack of effort in training.
Gio’s parents, Claudio and Danielle, both former national team players, spoke with U.S. Soccer about more playing time for Gio.
They also raised concerns about a three-decades-old domestic violence allegation involving Berhalter.
Gio has reflected on this incident and said he would handle it differently in certain ways. He emphasized that his actions stemmed from frustration but that the dispute was not completely his fault or that of his family.
2026 World Cup and Current Club Status
Giovanni Reyna is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil. In August 2025, he transferred to Borussia Mönchengladbach on a contract running through June 30, 2028. He wears number 7 for the USMNT.
Reyna has spoken about the 2026 World Cup as a guiding light for his career.
“I do obviously think about it pretty often as it’s somewhere where I need and want to be,” he said.
“But I try to focus daily, stay present, work every day, and hopefully believe everything will fall into place.”
With the World Cup set to take place on U.S. soil, the Reyna family’s soccer legacy continues into its next generation.
Gio represents the blend of American determination, Argentine passion, Portuguese adaptability, and Irish-American resilience that his family has cultivated over generations.
