Gio Reyna had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to tell the world that he was about to become a father for the first time — and the USA playmaker used the biggest stage of them all to deliver the news.
After sealing USA'swith a brilliant 98th-minute strike with the outside of his boot, Reyna's first instinct was to cover his ears with his hands.
But what came next proved a real surprise for everyone watching — the Borussia Monchengladbach star asked for a ball, which he put under his shirt and then sucked his thumb.
It was a move that immediately brought back memories of at the previous FIFA World Cup™ on American soil, in 1994.
“I’ve known for a couple months now, so I was waiting for the perfect time,” Reyna told reporters afterwards of his wife Chloe's pregnancy. “This sort of felt like it.”
Reyna's inaugural World Cup goal not only capped a brilliant team performance, it further justified Mauricio Pochettino's selection of a player who has struggled with injuries and a lack of playing time in the Bundesliga.
"Honestly, when I'm playing, I'm not really thinking," said Reyna about the goal. "I'm just doing whatever felt natural. I was in a good area, and I got a good pass, and I just saw the angle, far post."
With Reyna bolstering from the bench, the Stars and Stripes are looking in great shape ahead of their second group-stage match against Australia in Seattle.
Sources: FIFA Official
