Claudio Reyna's Biography

Who is Claudio Reyna?

Claudio Reyna's association with USA coach Bruce Arena dates back to when he was a teenager at the University of Virginia. Their side won three consecutive college titles from 1991 to 1993.

Reyna's football career in Europe started in Germany, where he played for Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg, but in April 1999 he was transferred to Glasgow Rangers for £2 million.

Reyna helped form a very strong midfield for Rangers with Ferguson, Van Bronckhorst and Albertz (with Tugay and Andrei Kanchelskis also available). Van Bronkhorst and Reyna were such good friends that Reyna named one of his sons Giovanni.

In December 2001 Rangers sold Claudio Reyna to Sunderland for over £4 million (a then joint-record transfer fee for Sunderland).

However, Sunderland got relegated and Reyna suffered a serious knee ligament injury.

Reyna's stay at Sunderland coincided with an excellent 2002 World Cup with the USA reaching the quarter-finals and Reyna himself being named in the FIFA World Cup All-star team - the first American to be given that honour.

His transfer from Sunderland to Man City for £2.5 million in August 2003 attracted controversy with Fulham manager Chris Coleman fuming: "Claudio was with us yesterday having his photo taken in a Fulham jersey ... I was even discussing with him what training schedule we would have for him ..."

Reyna's stint at Manchester City was dogged by injury, however he was fit enough to be selected for the USA squad in 2006.

It is his fourth World Cup (although Reyna did not play in 1994 because of a hamstring injury). Claudio Reyna is one of seven English-based players in the USA squad.

Reyna is married to Danielle Egan, who has played for the US women's soccer team.

In January 2007, Manchester City agreed to release Claudio Reyna and he joined Major League Soccer team New York Red Bulls.

In 2013, he was appointed Sporting Director of New York City FC.