Gio Reyna entered the National League of American Football

Striker Gio Reyna, the player at the center of a three-month soap opera that has engulfed and embarrassed American football, was called up to the national team on Wednesday for the Nations League games against Grenada and El Salvador.

The squad’s announcement comes two days after US Soccer released a report about the friction between World Cup coach Gregg Berhalter and the Reyna family that began at last fall’s tournament in Qatar, with both men’s futures thrown into question.

The report has cleared Berhalter of any wrongdoing, but the union has not yet decided whether to offer the manager a new contract. Meanwhile, Anthony Hudson, a U.S. assistant in Qatar, is leading the team. Hudson visited Reyna in Germany last month, where he plays for Borussia Dortmund, and called him up for the national side for the first time since the World Cup.

“Of course things have become a bit more complex in the months since the World Cup, but as far as we are concerned, Gio is part of our program,” Hudson said in a statement. “He’s a good guy and a top talent and he’s judged like any other player. We’ve made team decisions based on what gives the team the best chance of winning those games and we’ve brought him in because we think he’ll help us do that. can help.”

Results in Grenada on March 24 and against El Salvador on March 27 in Orlando, Fla. would propel the USA to the Nations League Final Four and qualify for this summer’s Gold Cup. Two years ago, the USA won both tournaments under Berhalter and then reached the eighth finals of the World Cup.

The 24-man squad Hudson has called up for the two games includes 13 players from the World Cup squad, including striker Christian Pulisic, midfielder Weston McKennie and goalkeeper Matt Turner. Also mentioned are Club America striker Alex Zendejas, a dual national who has opted to play for the US, as well as defender Miles Robinson and goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who both played well in World Cup qualifiers but were not in the squad.

Missing are captain Tyler Adams, who recently suffered a hamstring injury, as well as LAFC midfielder Kellyn Acosta and defender Aaron Long, both of whom were part of the World Cup squad.

The list includes players from club teams from 10 countries and 17 players under the age of 25. Robinson, who plays for Atlanta United, is the only MLS player on the team.

“Our goal is to win both games first,” said Hudson, who led the US to a win against Serbia and a draw against Colombia in his first games as caretaker coach this winter. “From there, we want to maintain the set standards and build on the achievements of the past four years. We left the World Cup knowing we were capable of more and we look forward to taking this group forward.”

The grid

goalkeeper: Ethan Horvath (Luton Town), Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough), Matt Turner (Arsenal)

Defender: Sergiño Dest (AC Milan), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Tim Ream (Fulham), Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City) ). ) )

Midfielder: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Johnny Cardoso (International), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Leeds United), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Alan Soñora (Juarez)

Forward: Taylor Booth (Utrecht), Daryl Dike (West Bromwich Albion), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Tim Weah (Lille), Alex Zendejas (Club America)