Posted: Thu May 14, 1998 at 3:55 PM ET

Reyna will get to showcase himself as the future of U.S. soccer at the World Cup    (CNN/SI)

ATLANTA (CNN/SI) -- If there's a question mark next to the future of soccer in the United States, the answer may lie in Claudio Reyna.

The 24-year-old midfield playmaker is regarded as one of the most talented players the U.S. has ever produced -- and now, he'll get the chance to showcase those talents to the world -- but this time with the added pressure of "leading" an experienced American team at the finals in France.

"Claudio's now at the age where he has enough experience behind him, and enough leadership ability to where he can take a team on his shoulders and make something of it," said USA coach Steve Sampson. "I think the older players have a very high regard for Claudio."

So it seems the promise of the star player from the University of Virginia has been realized in the professional ranks, but the transformation took time.

Bayer Leverkusen, a German club, gave him his first break in 1994, but his career stalled as he spent more time on the bench than on the playing field. A move to rival Wolfsburg followed last season, and now Reyna has finally started to show his real worth.

"It's given me a confidence that I didn't have before when I wasn't playing every week," said Reyna. "I'd be a substitute one time or play a little bit, but you don't have that same confidence that you do when you play every week and you do well against good competition."

"Once he moved to Wolfsburg," added Sampson, "he gained a level of confidence I've never seen in him before. He's taking the free kicks, he's taking the corner kicks, he's the playmaker in midfield, he is the 'go-to' guy. He's scoring goals in the flow of the game and he's communicating on the field and telling people where to go, and that's very positive for me."

Reyna also brings experience to the U.S. team -- he's played in more than 50 internationals and two Olympics -- and was on the World Cup squad in 1994 but a hamstring injury kept him on the sidelines.

At the World Cup, Reyna will play with the added pressure of "leading" the U.S. team    (CNN/SI)

This time he'll be tested from the outset. The United States opens its '98 World Cup campaign June 15 against world powerhouse Germany in Paris.

With Reyna plying his trade in the German Bundesliga, he'll be well known to strong opposition. So, perhaps more than any match, this could be an indication of whether Reyna has truly arrived.

"I've been playing well over there now," says Reyna, "so [the Germans] automatically put me as the most important player for the U.S. team because I'm playing well in their country against their national team players."

His success hasn't gone unnoticed by the U.S. media. The New York Times recently listed its 100 most influential Americans for the next century. Reyna was on the list as the future of U.S. soccer.

But the attention and accolades come largely from insiders. U.S. teammates aren't so sure that Reyna's talents are being fully recognized by the U.S. soccer public.

"There's been a lot of criticism of Claudio because he's been the future of American soccer for so long, " says all-time leading U.S. goal scorer. "He's never been given the opportunity to prove it, but I don't think the American people realize that what he's doing in Germany is so special. I think he doesn't get enough credit -- to be his age and to be running our team, in the midfield at least, is quite a feat itself."

But back in Wolfsburg, which is better known for its Volkswagen headquarters, Reyna is helping drive the newly promoted football club to new heights. And he's become a household name with real celebrity status.

"I play in a small little city where everyone's crazy about the club and the success we've had," says Reyna. "It's fun to be part of it and basically to make everyone's whole week happy if you win."