Weston McKennie’s Role in the U.S. Men’s National Team
IRVINE, Calif. — Weston McKennie has established a new routine at the U.S. men’s national team’s base for the World Cup.
The media setup generally consists of two players chatting behind the bleachers. McKennie, known for his playful nature, often stood in the bleachers during these interviews, goofing around.
“He’s a good guy, a bit of a clown,” Max Alfsten commented last week while McKennie was present. “That’s really all I can say.” That’s just typical McKennie.
On the plane, he sat beside Folarin Balogun, playfully trying to wake him up. Interestingly, he’s not too keen on watching other soccer matches, signaling that he doesn’t want to revolve his life around sports completely.
Despite any distractions, he has been a crucial player for Mauricio Pochettino’s squad, being the only athlete to start all three group stage matches in a remarkable World Cup performance.
His versatility, with experience in various roles on the field for Juventus, stirred some discussion on how deep he would play heading into the competition. Many believed he might take a deeper position alongside Tyler Adams, especially since Pochettino selected a team with limited depth in defensive midfield.
Yet, McKennie’s ideal role is in attacking midfield. Pochettino maintained that setup, opting to replace Adams with Malik Tillman, creating a “pentagon” shape in midfield that troubled opponents.
“I believe he’s vital for us,” Sergiño Dest expressed on Sunday as the team prepared for their Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. “He plays a box-to-box style, runs effectively, contributes well, and gives his all in duels. We need that balance, which significantly helps the team. We have varied players, but he’s really important.”
Indeed, McKennie’s contribution has been significant under Pochettino’s direction. His link-up play with Dest was consistent in the win against Australia, and he demonstrated impressive passing against Paraguay. Some thought it was excessive to play him for 86 minutes against Turkey in what seemed a pointless match, yet he remained impactful at both ends of the field without any apparent drawbacks.
2026 World Cup Insights
Honestly, it’s unfortunate that we exited the group stage without registering a goal or an assist.
Since 2017, along with Pulisic and Adams, McKennie has been a prominent face in the resurgence of the program, earning his first cap against Portugal after the disappointment of missing out on the 2018 World Cup.
This experience has led him to take on a unique leadership role within the team.
For instance, when the program aimed to make Balogun feel welcomed for his inaugural session in 2023, McKennie was there at the dinner.
“I believe Weston has really developed,” Balogun noted. “I think this is his best season at the club level, and he has managed to carry that form internationally. I’m very proud of his journey and growth. He has certainly become more of a leader in our team.”
“He leads in many different ways. He brings great energy to the camp, engages with everyone, and makes sure all feel comfortable. As we’ve seen from our games, he has a significant impact. Hopefully, like Malik, he can maintain that form not just here but into next season.”
