Weston McKennie

Weston James Earl McKennie (born August 28, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays primarily as a midfielder for Serie A club Juventus and the United States national team. A highly versatile player, he has been described as a "Swiss Army Knife" and is routinely deployed in any outfield position.

A youth prospect from FC Dallas, McKennie began his senior club career at Bundesliga side Schalke 04 after rising through the team's academy sector. In 2017–18, he established himself as a first team player and played three full seasons. In August 2020, McKennie joined Serie A champions Juventus on loan, winning the 2020 Supercoppa Italiana. The move was made permanent in March 2021, which he later won the 2020–21 Coppa Italia in the same season. In 2023 he was loaned to Premier League club Leeds United, after which he returned to Juventus and won the 2023–24 Coppa Italia. He lived in Kaiserslautern, Germany, from age six to nine as his father, a United States Air Force officer, was stationed at nearby Ramstein Air Base. McKennie started playing soccer for the local club FC Phönix Otterbach in 2004, before moving back to the United States. McKennie played for the youth system of Major League Soccer side FC Dallas for seven years from 2009 to 2016, before moving to Schalke. His transfer to Schalke was the main catalyst for FC Dallas to create their reserve team, North Texas SC, which played in USL League One. but he subsequently turned down the scholarship offer to play for the Cavaliers, and instead sought to go professional.

Club career

Schalke 04 2016–2018

In July 2016 McKennie declined to sign a Homegrown Player contract with FC Dallas. He joined German Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04 in August 2016. After spending less than a year with Schalke's academy team, McKennie was promoted to the first-team squad in May 2017. He made his professional debut on May 20, 2017, as a 77th-minute substitute during a 1–1 draw with FC Ingolstadt 04. This was his only appearance during the 2016–17 season. McKennie made his first start in September 2017 and signed a five-year contract shortly after. During the same year, McKennie made 21 appearances and scored 4 goals with Schalke's U-19 team.

During the 2017–18 season, McKennie cemented his place as a member of the Schalke first team at the age of 19. He made 22 appearances in the Bundesliga. He finished the 2017–18 season with 25 appearances in all competitions.

2018–2020 During the 2018–19 season, McKennie further increased his position with the Bundesliga club, starting 25 games for the club in both the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Champions League.

Under new manager David Wagner, McKennie further established himself as an important part and valuable asset of a team that struggled to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. McKennie made a total of 28 appearances and scored three goals for Schalke in the Bundesliga.

Juventus

2020–2022 On August 29, 2020, it was announced that McKennie joined Serie A side Juventus on a year-long loan. In doing so, he became Juventus' first player—and Serie A's fifth—from the United States.

McKennie made his league debut for Juventus on September 20, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 league home win against Sampdoria. McKennie made his Champions League debut for the club in the second match of the group stage, coming on in the 75th minute of a 2–0 home defeat to Barcelona. On November 1, McKennie got on the score sheet for the first time for Juventus, earning an assist on the opening goal by Álvaro Morata in a 4–1 win against Spezia. On November 24, McKennie started a Champions League match against Ferencváros, becoming the first American international in Italy to do so. McKennie scored his first goal for Juventus on December 5, in the Derby della Mole against Torino; he scored the equalizer of the match, which eventually ended in a 2–1 win. Three days later, McKennie scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus—a scissor kick on the volley—against Barcelona, helping his team win 3–0 away from home and finish in first place in their group. On January 6, 2021, McKennie scored a goal against league-leaders Milan in a 3–1 away win; it was Milan's first league defeat in 27 games.

On March 3, 2021, Juventus exercised their purchase option for €18.5 million, plus €6.5 million in potential bonuses, on a four-year contract. McKennie started for Juventus in the Coppa Italia Final against Atalanta; he assisted Dejan Kulusevski for the team's first goal in an eventual 2–1 win. McKennie finished the 2020–21 season with six goals in 46 appearances in all competitions.

On January 12, 2022, McKennie scored the opener in the 2021 Supercoppa Italiana match, which the team eventually lost 2–1 against Inter Milan. On February 22, in a Champions League game against Villarreal, McKennie injured his metatarsal following a foul by Pervis Estupiñán, forcing him to prematurely end his season.

Loan to Leeds United On January 30, 2023, McKennie joined English side Leeds United on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. He made his Leeds debut on February 5, 2023, as a second-half substitute in the Premier League 1–0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. He made 20 appearances for the team across all competitions, including 16 starts in the Premier League, but failed to score any goals before Leeds were ultimately relegated on the last day of the season.

2023–present

After his Leeds loan, McKennie returned to the Juventus first team for the 2023–24 season and took the number 16. On September 16, 2023, he made his 100th appearance for Juventus, creating a long ball assist in the 3–1 victory over Lazio. Reestablished as a starter in the Juventus midfield, on December 23 he created an assist in the 2–1 win over Frosinone.

On January 11, 2024, McKennie created two assists in the 4–0 victory over Frosinone in the 2023–24 Coppa Italia quarter-finals. On January 21 he recorded a league assist in the 3–0 victory over Lecce. On February 25, he repeated the same feat against Frosinone by creating two assists in league play. On March 10, he created two league assists in the 2–2 draw to Atalanta. On April 2, 2024, he recorded his season-record 10th assist (7th season league assist) against Lazio in the 2023–24 Coppa Italia semi-finals, helping them to the cup final. McKennie started in the 2024 Coppa Italia final and played the full 90 minutes, where Juventus won 1–0 and he secured his second Coppa Italia trophy. On September 17, he scored in the club's opening UEFA Champions League game, a 3–1 win over PSV. On October 27, he recorded two assists in the 4–4 draw with Inter Milan. In the following game on October 30, he scored in the 2–2 draw against Parma. On December 11, he scored a volley goal in the 2–0 win over Manchester City in the Champions League group stage. On February 11 in the Champions League knockout phase, he scored against PSV again winning 2–1.

For the 2025–26 season, McKennie again changed his number to 22 in respect to his teammate Michele Di Gregorio whose late father was fond of his previous 16 number. January 22, 2026, marked him scoring in three consecutive Champions League games in a row after the 2–0 win over Benfica. He was named the Juventus Player of the Month for January with 3 goals. On February 6, he scored against Lazio, marking his best goalscoring season to date with 7 goals. On February 14, he created 2 assists in the 2–3 loss to rivals Inter. On February 25, McKennie scored a late aggregate equalizer in the second leg win against Galatasaray to break his best ever Champions League season with 4 goals, though Juventus would ultimately be eliminated by aggregate in extra time. His goal also made him only one goal away (11) from the American all-time Champions League goalscoring leader Christian Pulisic (12), and only the third Juventus midfielder to score 10+ career Champions League goals, with Pavel Nedvěd (11) and Michel Platini (17).

On March 2, 2026, McKennie agreed to a new contract with Juventus that will keep him at the club until 2030. He ended his highest goalscoring season with 9 goals and 8 assists across all competitions. For his performances, McKennie was named on the 2025–26 Serie A Team of the Season.

International career 2013–2016: Youth level McKennie has played with various United States youth teams, including the under-17 and under-20 national teams.

2017–2019: Senior debut and first CONCACAF Gold Cup McKennie earned his first senior team callup for the United States' friendly against Portugal on November 14, 2017, scoring on his debut. McKennie's first international assist came in the opening game of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup against Guyana at Allianz Field in a 4–0 win. McKennie scored the lone goal for the U.S. on June 30, 2019, to help them secure a 1–0 win in the Gold Cup quarter-finals against Curaçao. McKennie notched his second goal in the semi-finals against Jamaica in the 19th minute. McKennie playing for United States against Trinidad and Tobago in 2019.

2019–2022: CONCACAF Nations League Finals and first FIFA World Cup On October 12, 2019, McKennie scored the fastest hat-trick in the U.S. men's national team's history, scoring three goals in thirteen minutes in a CONCACAF Nations League game against Cuba.

On June 6, 2021, McKennie scored a decisive 2–2 equalizer in the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Final against rivals Mexico, bringing the game to extra time. The game ultimately ended 3–2 to the United States, and McKennie was nominated Player of the Tournament. On September 7, 2021, during the final round of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying, McKennie was dropped from the national team for breaking COVID-19 team protocols by bringing a guest into his hotel room while the team was in Nashville, Tennessee, for their match against Canada. As a result, he missed the final two matches of the series.

2023: CONCACAF Nations League Finals McKennie won the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League against Canada and the 2024 CONCACAF Nations League against Mexico, where he assisted Tyler Adams for the opening goal in the final.

2026–present: Second FIFA World Cup On May 26, 2026, McKennie was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Player profile Style of play McKennie is known for his versatility as a player. During his time at Schalke, McKennie played in numerous positions including in midfield, as a center-back, full-back, and even as a striker. In addition, he is an often-utilized proponent of the long throw-in, deploying an unorthodox sideways wind-up technique prior to launching. However, he has primarily played as either a box-to-box midfielder or in a deeper-lying defensive role. During his time with Juventus, he has been used in several midfield positions, including as a wide midfielder, in a holding role, or even as a more offensive-minded central midfielder, known as the mezzala role in Italian soccer jargon.

McKennie's primary attributes are his defensive skills and work rate, as well as his ability to win back the ball.

Reception His ball-winning qualities, combined with his positioning, tactical intelligence, eye for goal from midfield, and ability to make late attacking runs into the box led Alberto Mauro of Il Messaggero to compare him to former Juventus midfielders Edgar Davids and Arturo Vidal; McKennie's technical ability was cited as an area in need of improvement, however. He has a Harry Potter lightning bolt tattoo, and his signature goal celebration involves waving his hand as if using a wand to cast a spell.

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each McKennie goal.

Honors Juventus Coppa Italia: 2020–21, Supercoppa Italiana: 2020 2022–23, 2023–24 CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up: 2019 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year: 2020 IFFHS Men's CONCACAF Team of the Year: 2020, 2024, 2025 CONCACAF Awards Best XI: 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Finals Best XI: 2021, 2024 Serie A Team of the Season: 2025–26