Gio Reyna, Jordan and the Germany-based players who could represent the USA at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Fitness permitting, Gio Reyna is expected to be involved when the USA kick off their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign against Wales on 21 November - but will Union Berlin's Jordan and Borussia Mönchengladbach's Joe Scally make the grade?
bundesliga.com weighs up the Germany-based options at Gregg Berhalter's disposal...
Primary candidates
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Position: Attacking midfielder
US caps: 14
An injury-hit 2021/22 campaign behind him, Reyna started the USA's 2-0 friendly defeat to Japan during the September international break. The fleet-footed teenager, who turns 20 on 13 November, is yet to play at a major international tournament, but did register a goal and assist as the US beat Mexico in the final of the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League in summer 2021. He's featured in 83 competitive matches for Dortmund since debuting at 16 and, with Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League and DFB Cup fixtures coming thick and fast, will be close to his century by the time the World Cup rolls round. Six appearances into 2022/23, he has produced two assists.
Watch: Gio Reyna - ready to rock again
Club: Union Berlin
Position: Striker
US caps: Nine
Despite having had a direct hand in more goals in the early part of 2022/23 than any US international on the European club scene, Jordan was not included in Berhalter's September roster. The 26-year-old's case couldn't be much stronger: he's tallied three goals and two assists in six games for Bundesliga leaders Union, and is the only American forward on the US coach's radar plying his trade in one of Europe's top five leagues per UEFA's coefficient rankings. FC Dallas's Jesus Ferreira, ex-Werder Bremen man Josh Sargent and Augsburg-owned teenager Ricardo Pepi are the players in his way on the road to Qatar.
Watch: Jordan - the Union star in stripes
Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
Position: Full-back
US caps: Two
Scally enjoyed a breakout campaign at Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2021/22, registering two goals and two assists in 40 appearances in all competitions. He was rewarded with a pair of maiden USMNT caps in summer 2022 friendlies against Morocco and Uruguay, and was part of the squad - albeit as an unused substitute - in subsequent fixtures with Grenada, El Savador and Japan. Capable of playing on the right- or left-hand side of the defence, the former New York City FC youngster is an invaluable addition to Berhalter's contingent and surely a future starter.
Watch: Joe Scally - the USA's fast-rising Foal
Club: Augsburg (on loan at Groningen)
Position: Striker
US caps: 10
After a 16-match barren start to his Augsburg career, young Pepi served up an assist on his debut for Dutch outfit Groningen and a goal on his first start. The 19-year-old also has three goals in 10 senior appearances for the USMNT in his favour, but hasn't been named in the starting XI since the March 2022 round of World Cup qualifiers. He was omitted from Berhalter's June squad altogether, before being recalled for the Japan and Saudi Arabia friendlies. Reading between the lines, it may well be him or Jordan on the plane to Qatar.
Watch: Ricardo Pepi dreaming big
Outsiders
Bundesliga
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Position: Full-back
US caps: 29
Timothy Chandler hasn't pulled on the stars and stripes since November 2016 - 28 months after warming the bench at the 2014 World Cup. Fast forward eight years, and that's largely the German-American's role at hometown club Eintracht Frankfurt, though he did collect a UEFA Europa League winner's medal last term.
Club: Bayern Munich (on loan at Glasgow Rangers)
Position: Attacking midfielder
US caps: Four
Germany-born Malik Tillman pledged his allegiance to the USA earlier in 2022, before winning his first caps in June. First-team football in Scotland with Glasgow Rangers helped the Bayern-owned attacker - who scored his first professional goal for the record champions last season - retain his place in the September roster.
Club: Hoffenheim (on loan from FC Dallas)
Position: Centre-back
US caps: -
Currently part of Hoffenheim's reserve team in Germany's fourth tier, Justin Che was called up to play for the USA's U20s in September.
Club: Wolfsburg
Position: Left midfielder
US caps: -
Kevin Paredes has made three substitute appearances for Wolfsburg in the early part of the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign. He is another U20 international.
Bundesliga 2
Club: Kaiserslautern
Position: Striker
US caps: 14
Terrence Boyd has 14 US caps, but hasn't represented his country since October 2016. The 31-year-old has tallied five goals and two assists across his first nine Bundesliga 2 appearances for Kaiserslautern this season.
Watch: Terrence Boyd scored a brace on Matchday 9
Club: Arminia Bielefeld
Position: Left-back
US caps: Seven
Relegated to Bundesliga 2 with Arminia Bielefeld at the end of last season, George Bello has been a bit-part player in 2022/23. The 2026 World Cup is arguably a more realisable goal for the 20-year-old defender.
Club: Greuther Fürth
Position: Attacking midfielder
US caps: 15
For Julian Green, the 2022 edition is perhaps his last shot at a World Cup. He scored on his first - as substitute in the extra-time defeat to Belgium in the 2014 last 16 - but has never been able to bolt down a regular place. In and out of the Greuther Fürth starting XI of late, the former Bayern youngster hasn't been called up since May 2021.
Club: Greuther Fürth
Position: Central midfielder
US caps: -
Timothy Tillman became a first-team regular at Fürth in 2021/22. According to his kid brother, Malik, he is interested in making the switch from Germany to the USA - perhaps with the 2026 World Cup in mind. The elder Tillman won his last of 20 youth caps for his country of birth in March 2018.
Club: Heidenheim
Position: Centre-back
US caps: -
Lennard Maloney is another dual national, who's time may come when the US co-host the 2026 edition with Canada and Mexico. Leaving Dortmund for regular first-team minutes at Heidenheim of Bundesliga 2 at least has the one-time US U20 international on the right track.
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