Weston McKennie is starting to become a consistent goalscoring threat in the UEFA Champions League.
McKennie scored in his second-straight UCL appearance on Wednesday as Juventus defeated Cypriot visitors Pafos FC 2-0 in Turin. The U.S. men’s national team midfielder has now registered a goal contribution in three of his last five appearances in all competitions.
After a goal-less first half from the Allianz Stadium, McKennie propelled Luciano Spalletti’s squad in front in the 67th minute. Andrea Cambiaso slipped McKennie into the Pafos FC box before McKennie turned and rifled a right-footed shot into the roof of the net.
McKennie’s goal marked his 10th-career UCL goal involvement and was the 50th-career goal scored by USMNT players in the competition’s history, according to OptaJack.
Five minutes after McKennie boosted Juventus in front, fellow CONCACAF attacker Jonathan David doubled the Bianconeri’s lead to 2-0. Kenan Yildiz squared a pass for the Canadian forward to slot away, giving the hosts a comfortable advantage.
The 27-year-old McKennie finished the match with three chances created, two duels won, and two interceptions delivered.
Up next for Juventus is a Serie A trip to Bologna on Sunday.
Of all the Nats playing overseas right now, McKennie is really having the most remarkable season. Despite the usual turmoil and drama that is Juventus, he is starting in virtually every league and UCL match, and playing the full 90 minutes. In those games, he has played in up front, central midfield, outside midfield and wingback, sometimes switching positions during the game. Today, another UCL goal. By all accounts, he is having an MVP season for the club.
Mckennie may look good in Inter Miami pink. Juve doesn’t appreciate him.
?? He starts virtually every game. Everytime they get a new coach he does immediately goes to the bench but eventually he works his way back into the starting lineup and stays there until they fire their coach. Unfortunately, that seems to be every 6 months or so. I am going on record saying barring injury he will start at least two of the group games at the world cup. It seems like a lot of people on this site think he is way down on Poch’s list; I think it is the exact opposite.
I generally agree with you Tele, the different managers always seem to quickly determine that they can’t write out a team sheet without including Wes. It’s just management and Wes’s agency that seem to disagree constantly. So that may finally force a permanent move. As for Poch, I have no idea what he thinks his best lineup is.
“It seems like a lot of people on this site think he is way down on Poch’s list; I think it is the exact opposite.”
If Weston is fit and in form then the USMNT is better with him.
But over the years, Weston has not always shown up. It’s best to not count on him too much.
You are a fan and think like it.
Pochettino is a manager and thinks like it.
At his best Weston can do great things for the USMNT.
But recent events have shown that they can do just fine without him if they have to. I don’t think you or I have any idea what Pochettino’s so-called list looks like. His favorites are the guys who give him what he asks for. Did you predict Roldan 2.0 because I sure did not. What next? Mix Diskerud or Julian Green? When all is said and done Weston will wind up being one of our all time greats . But the World Cup is a short term ad hoc committee and is very much about what have you done for me lately. And when I think about the core of this team at their best, Weston doe not leap to mind.
None of our guys is a great enough player to put this team on their back and lead them to World Cup “glory”, however you define that.
If they want to achieve “glory” in 2026 they will have to do it as a team.
If Weston is there fine but like a lot of our euros, he’s had a mediocre year for the USMNT.
CP is the only player who approaches “can’t live without” status. But I notice he was not around for Paraguay or Uruguay,
And that is Pochettino’s entire point,
It’s not about individuals, it’s about the TEAM.
The World Cup looks like it’s going to be brutal, a physically tough tournament. You want to bet on Christian’s hamstrings staying intact the entire tournament, especially with teams targeting him?? I don’t like those odds.
I hope Weston shows up ready to go. They can use him but if he’s not ready, then someone else will take his place.
Its not about playing time its about getting compensated well. Juve continues to undervalue him. Why he hasn’t signed a new contract. And quite frankly that fanbase hasn’t been kind to him either. I think he will have options in Europe and MLS this summer.
I personally don’t think he’s “way down on Pochettino’s list”, I just think with Weston there’s not a clear starting role for him on the team, beyond: “this guy is too good to sit and versatile enough he can play about 5-6 different positions, so let’s see what we have today and that’s when we’ll decide what we’re doing with him.”
What that means in practical terms, at least to me is: we could see McKennie as a 10, a RW, a right wingback, or a co-6, though I do not think Poch is overly fond of McKennie as a 6 because McKennie is undisciplined defensively and you’re kind of wasting him anyway if he’s not allowed to freelance a bit and find the game. Which is emphatically not what Pochettino seems to want his 6’s to do – Poch wants zero drama, iron-man defending, seamless coordination with the other co-6, and he wants them to be press-resistant and turnover-free. That’s…not Wes.
So that might not be an every-game starter. But I still think McKennie winds up starting a significant portion of them for us. No “perfect” starting roster ever survives contact with reality and while he’s not a prototype player at any position McKennie does bring so much to the table and he’s so versatile that when you’re looking at your best starting 11 for the day he’s usually going to be one of them. And even when he’s not, he’s without question going to be one of your best 16 and is going to get on the field for you at some point.
You can say a lot of the same things about Tim Weah, actually. These are quality players. They are elite athletes who could have played in the NFL if they’d been inclined to play that other kind of football – don’t let the fact that Weston doesn’t look like a prototype Specimen fool you. He can run, turn, jump, and change direction as well as anyone you’ll see, and he’s got the contact balance of a cat. These guys would not be over their heads on any pitch in any game in the world. You absolutely want them on your team. But they’re Swiss Army knives, not specialists.
Ah hah – contract situation. I was not aware of that. Thanks for clarifying.