At the end of the 2019-20 season, rumors quickly swirled about an American midfielder from Texas who had called Schalke home becoming a Juventus player on an initial loan deal. As these deals always play out when it comes to a member of the USMNT playing in Europe, there were questions about if an American had what it takes to be a part of Italy’s largest club, and play alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Giorgio Chiellini, and Paulo Dybala.
That American was none other than Weston James Earl McKennie, the son of a U.S. Air Force officer, who spent a good portion of his early years growing up in Germany, where he honed his footballing prowess and even turned down a scholarship offer to play at the University of West Virginia. Surely he knew that his time to go pro was closing in fast.
Within his first season, the preconceived notions of Americans playing in Europe began to dissipate. He became the first American in Italy to ever play against Ferencvaros in the Champions League, scored an equalizer against Torino in the Derby della Mole, and even scored on a scissor kick against Barcelona in the group stage of the same Champions League season. Though it was in an empty stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the image of the American wearing Juventus’ navy blue away kit while performing his trademark Harry Potter celebration became an iconic photo.
But all was not perfect, as a metatarsal injury ended the following season prematurely for him, and he would find himself loaned out to a relegation-fighting Leeds in January of 2023. Eventually, Leeds found itself in England’s Championship division, and the American took a flight back to Turin, eager to prove himself.
Fast forward to the 2024-25 season, McKennie is one of the most consistent player on the squad for The Old Lady, and performs exceptionally not only in matches domestically, but in big games that carry weight for Juventus’ Champions League campaign. On the European stage, McKennie has scored three goals, only one less than his fellow countryman Christian Pulisic of AC Milan. Those goals came against PSV Eindhoven in the first matchday of the Champions League campaign, against the great blue whale Manchester City in a match that to pundits and commentators alike was primed to go the way of Pep Guardiola, and again scored a screaming goal against PSV in the first leg of the playoff phase this past Tuesday night. He also became the first American to wear the captain’s armband in the disappointing loss against Benfica in Matchday 8 of the league phase.
Domestically, the Texan has become a complete multitool for Thiago Motta’s squad, finding himself playing almost every position on the pitch with the exception of goalkeeper. Although in a pinch he would be more than capable to don Michelle Di Gregorio’s gloves and channel his inner Olivier Giroud, who made headlines in 2023 for his time as AC Milan’s emergency keeper after Mike Magnion was sent off.
But back to the American …
McKennie has played as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, left back, right back, right winger, and due to the injuries of Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiuz Milik, a secondary striker against AC Milan. In that time, he’s found the back of the net twice — the first against Parma and the second against Monza, the latter being a necessary goal to solidify the 2-1 victory over Silvio Berlusconi’s second brainchild. In terms of assists, Mckennie again is a big-game player. He helped both Kenan Yildiz and Vlahovic find the back of the net in the now iconic 4-4 draw against dreaded rivals Internazionale Milan at the Giuseppe Meazza in front of 75,000 screaming fans.
His other assist came against a shockingly cohesive and in-form Atalanta side, and the goal was scored by none other than Frenchman and AC-Milan loanee Pierre Kalulu, which to date remains his first and only goal wearing black and white.
The immediate future for the Texan remains optimistic and bright, as his run of form this season alone has re-established him as both a fan favorite, and one of Motta’s most reliable soldiers. In the long term, fans and club alike will surely want to see the American in black and white in the coming seasons. After all, he is the first ever American to ever be able to claim rights to both a Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana trophy, while Timothy Weah was the second for the Coppa and Pulisic was the second for the Supercoppa. And as previously mentioned, the first and only American to ever don the captains armband for Italy’s most winningest team in history.
