Just moments after Gio Reyna nailed the final goal for the U.S. men’s national team in its 4-1 victory against Paraguay on Friday at SoFi Stadium in a World Cup match, he had a celebration that he will remember for the rest of his life.
Reyna tucked the ball under his shirt to resemble a baby bump on his stomach and sucked his thumb, a common gesture soccer players do to announce a pregnancy. After the game was finished, he went to Instagram to publicly announce that he and his wife, Chloe Reyna, are, in fact, expecting.
“Thank you LA! I love this team! Just the start! Celebration was for the little one on the way,” Gio wrote on the post.
After Gio made the announcement, Chloe went to Instagram as well and added his post to her story to celebrate the news.
According to The Athletic, when the game finished, Gio told reporters, “My wife’s pregnant.”
Gio also told reporters that he, his wife and his parents have known for a while that the couple was expecting and that they were waiting for the perfect moment to make the announcement.
Fox News reported that his parents and his wife wanted him to be more selfish at times and take more shots. With a 3-1 lead, nearing the end of regulation, what better time to be selfish and a moment his family will remember for the rest of their lives.
“These questions are always hard for me,” Reyna said. “Honestly, when I’m playing, I’m not really thinking. 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.”
After the final goal, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino was just as excited as the rest of the U.S. team and went onto the field to celebrate Gio’s goal.
To make the moment even more memorable for Reyna, his goal during Friday night’s match was the first World Cup goal of his career.
While the USMNT has a lot to celebrate after a dominant performance, the team will have to turn the page. The U.S. is set to play Australia on Friday, June 19, at Lumen Field in Seattle.