Player Profile: (10) Claudio Reyna

Born: 20th July 1973

Hometown: Springfield, New Jersey

Height: 5′10″

Weight: 160 lbs

Caps: 109 (8 goals)

World Cups: 3 (1994, 1998, 2002)

Clubs: Manchester City (2003-present), Sunderland (2001-2003), Glasgow Rangers (1998-2001), Wolfsburg (1997-1998 on loan from Leverkusen), Bayer Leverkusen (1994-1997)

College: University of Virginia

Positions: CM (in his younger days Reyna was a bit more mobile and played in a more attacking midfield role, but now he’s getting on a bit he plays deeper)

Highlights:

• When he wore the Wolfsburg armband in 1998, he became the first American to captain a European club side.
• Went on to captain Rangers, Sunderland, Manchester City and of course the national team.
• Won Scottish Premiership with Rangers in 1999 and 2000.
• Selected to FIFA Technical Study Group All-Star Team at the 2002 World Cup, where he led the US to the quarter finals.

Lowlights:

• Tore his ACL in October of the 2002-3 season, so watched from the sidelines as Sunderland finished bottom of the Premiership.
• A series of niggling injuries have ruined his 2005-6 season.

Arena says: “From watching him over the last month or so, I think he’s played very well. He’s going to come into camp in decent form and not completely exhausted from having 40 games (with Manchester City) under his belt.” Of course, this was before Reyna pinged his hammy 15 minutes into the USA’s first warm up game.

Assessment: Definitely has the skills, vision and authority to boss the midfield from a deeper role, but there have to be doubts about his fitness. At 32 he seems prone to niggling injuries like the above mentioned hamstring strain, but if he can stay on the pitch he’ll make a huge difference in what should be his fourth and final World Cup.