If the report is accurate, Sebastian Berhalter would not be in the squad because of his surname. He appears to have earned serious consideration by doing the unfashionable midfield work coaches trust.
That profile matters in tournament football. Every squad needs headline players, but it also needs balance. Pochettino has always valued players who hold structure together, especially in matches where control matters more than flair.
The case for Gio Reyna has always been different. At his best, he gives the United States something few others can: composure in tight spaces, invention between the lines and the ability to change a match with one action.
The issue has rarely been talent. It has been rhythm, fitness and consistency. Even so, a fully engaged Reyna remains one of the most naturally gifted attackers in the pool. For a coach trying to raise the ceiling of the team, that is difficult to leave behind.
This is where the story becomes bigger than selection. The breakdown in relations between Gregg Berhalter and Claudio Reyna’s families became one of the defining off-field sagas of the post-Qatar period. Bringing Sebastian Berhalter and Gio Reyna into the same squad would not erase that history, but it would show a clear shift: the focus is back on performance, not politics.
Now the next point to watch is simple. When Pochettino names his squad, attention will move quickly from symbolism to roles - and whether both men can help shape the United States into a more complete tournament team.