RB Leipzig shocked Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Saturday with a 3-1 victory on the second-to-last matchday of the season. This opens the door for Borussia Dortmund who defeated Augsburg on Sunday and sit two points ahead of Bayern.
Dortmund are top of the Bundesliga table entering the final matchday meaning that American forward Gio Reyna is 90 minutes away from winning the league.
This begs the question, has an American won the Bundesliga before?
Has an American won the Bundesliga before?
Only one American player has ever won the Bundesliga. Thomas Dooley lifted the German league title with FC Kaiserslautern in 1991. This is the only time an American has done so. Could Reyna do it again 32 years later?
Pioneering @USMNT Legend Thomas Dooley during his playing days at @Rote_Teufel pic.twitter.com/IbZl9ubfvc
— The Bosman Viewing (@bosmanviewing) October 18, 2021
Dooley made 128 appearances for Kaiserslautern back in the day along with 87 caps with the USMNT.
While Reyna isn’t a usual starter, he’s had a massive impact off the bench averaging a goal every 84 minutes. His goal tally in the 2022-23 Bundesliga campaign is seven and he’s scored several clutch goals this season.
GIO REYNA GOLAZO TO GIVE DORTMUND A 4-3 LEAD! pic.twitter.com/3PpTXUV2q6
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 22, 2023
GIO REYNA SCORES A STOPPAGE TIME WINNER FOR BORUSSIA DORTMUND!!!
WHAT A WEEK FOR THE 20-YEAR-OLD! pic.twitter.com/Mqd2QPnhU5— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 25, 2023
GIO REYNA IN STOPPAGE TIME TO GIVE DORTMUND THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/KcneRlFEsK
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 15, 2023
Reyna and his Dortmund teammates are just one victory away from clinching the club’s first league title since 2012. Bayern have won the last 10 league titles.
Bayern have 68 points while Dortmund have 70 points. If Bayern win on the final matchday then a draw wouldn’t help Dortmund as Bayern have a massive goal-difference advantage (+14). Only a win will do in that scenario.
A Bayern draw or loss guarantees that the Bundesliga title goes to Dortmund.
For the final matchday on Saturday Dortmund play at home and host midtable Mainz while Bayern’s last game is a trip to face midtable Cologne.
