Former USMNT great Claudio Reyna loses son Jack to cancer

By Charles Boehm

Former U.S. Men’s National Team star Claudio Reyna’s 13-year-old son Jack passed away on Thursday, after a long fight against a pediatric brain tumor. Condolences for Reyna and his wife, Danielle Egan Reyna, poured in from across the sports world at the news.

A New Jersey native who starred for the University of Virginia at college level, Reyna was a standout and longtime captain for the USMNT, leading the squad in three FIFA World Cups and missing another due to injury. He also carved out a long and successful club career in Europe, where he set the standard for American players overseas at major clubs like Bayer Leverkusen and VFW Wolfsburg (Germany), Glasgow Rangers (Scotland), Sunderland and Manchester City (England).

Retiring in 2008 after an injury-plagued stint with the New York Red Bulls, Reyna turned to coaching and is presently the youth technical director for U.S. Soccer. He led the creation of the federation’s new coaching curriculum, which was released last year.

Danielle was a well-accomplished player in her own right, playing for the University of North Carolina and spending time with the U.S. Women’s National Team.