Reyna Calling It Quits; Arena Is Still Thinking

The United States is going to have to find a new “Captain America.” The coaching situation isn’t as clear.

Claudio Reyna bid farewell to the U.S. national soccer team Friday, retiring from international competition after a dozen years. A day after his final World Cup game ended with a loss and an injury, Reyna said he had decided on retirement from the national team before the tournament. He turns 33 on July 20, and sticking around until the 2010 World Cup was realistic.

Meanwhile, Bruce Arena delivered what sounded like a valedictory of his nearly eight years as coach of the U.S.

Arena, whose team was eliminated from the World Cup in the first round, would not say whether he wanted to stay on at the helm.

After leading the U.S. to the World Cup quarterfinals in June 2002, Arena also put off a decision, not agreeing to a new deal until a couple of months after the tournament. But he said there were differences between then and now. “Four years ago I was completely burnt out after that whole thing. I was a zombie for about two weeks,” he said. “Right now, I’m just an idiot.”

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Good news for Sweden: Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is fit and ready to play the second-round game against host Germany today.

“I would say that if nothing happens during the training session today, it’s quite possible that he can play,” Coach Lars Lagerback said.

Ibrahimovic sustained a left groin injury when he warmed up before Sweden played Paraguay on June 15. He left at halftime. Sweden won, 1-0.

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Italian defender Daniele de Rossi received a four-game ban for elbowing U.S. striker Brian McBride. U.S. defender Pablo Mastroeni, who also got a red card in that 1-1 tie June 17, was banned for three games.