Weston McKennie facts for kids
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McKennie with the United States in 2019
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | August 28, 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Fort Lewis, Washington, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Juventus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2009 | FC Phönix Otterbach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2016 | FC Dallas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Schalke 04 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2021 | Schalke 04 | 75 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | → Juventus (loan) | 21 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021– | Juventus | 99 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | → Leeds United (loan) | 19 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | United States U17 | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | United States U19 | 9 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | United States U20 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017– | United States | 58 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Weston James Earl McKennie (born August 28, 1998) is an American professional soccer player. He plays as a midfielder for the Italian club Juventus and the United States national team. Weston is known for being able to play in many different midfield roles. He can be a player who runs all over the field (a box-to-box midfielder), a deeper player who helps defend, or even a wingback (a defender who also attacks).
Weston started his club career at Bundesliga side Schalke 04 in Germany. He joined their youth academy and quickly moved up to the main team. After playing for Schalke for three seasons, McKennie moved to the famous Italian club Juventus. He first joined on loan, and then the move became permanent. With Juventus, he has won the Supercoppa Italiana in 2020 and the Coppa Italia in 2021 and 2024.
McKennie has also played for the United States at different age levels and for the senior national team. He first played for the senior team in 2017. He helped the U.S. team win the CONCACAF Nations League three times: in 2021, 2023, and 2024. He was even named the best player of the 2021 tournament. In 2020, he won the U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award.
Contents
Early Life and Soccer Beginnings
Weston McKennie was born in Fort Lewis, Washington. However, he considers Little Elm, Texas, his hometown. From age six to nine, he lived in Kaiserslautern, Germany. His father was in the United States Air Force and was stationed nearby.
Weston started playing soccer in Germany for a local club called FC Phönix Otterbach in 2004. After his family moved back to the United States, he joined the youth team of Major League Soccer club FC Dallas. He played there for seven years, from 2009 to 2016.
In 2016, Weston decided to become a professional soccer player. He chose to join the German club Schalke instead of playing college soccer in the U.S.
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Schalke 04
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Weston joined German club FC Schalke 04 in August 2016. He quickly moved from their youth academy to the main team. He made his first professional appearance in May 2017. Soon after, he signed a five-year contract with the club.
During the 2017–18 season, Weston became a regular player for Schalke at just 19 years old. He played 22 games in the Bundesliga, which is Germany's top soccer league. He was very useful to the team because he could play in many different positions in the midfield and defense.
In the 2018–19 season, Weston played even more games. He started 25 matches in the Bundesliga, the German Cup (DFB-Pokal), and the UEFA Champions League. He scored his first Champions League goal in a game against Lokomotiv Moscow.
For the 2019–20 season, Weston continued to be a key player for Schalke. He played 28 games and scored three goals in the Bundesliga. During a game in May 2020, he wore an armband that said "Justice for George." This was to show support for the movement for fairness and equality in the United States.
Joining Juventus
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First Season with Juventus (2020–21)
On August 29, 2020, Weston McKennie joined the Italian club Juventus on a one-year loan. This made him the first American player to join Juventus. He was given the number 14 jersey.
Weston played his first league game for Juventus on September 20. He played the whole game in a 3–0 win. He also made his Champions League debut for the club. On December 5, Weston scored his first goal for Juventus in a big game against Torino. Three days later, he scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus with an amazing scissor kick goal against Barcelona. This helped his team win 3–0.
In March 2021, Juventus made Weston's move permanent. He signed a four-year contract. He also helped Juventus win the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) in 2021, assisting a goal in the final. He finished the season with six goals in 46 games.
Later Seasons with Juventus
In the 2021–22 season, Weston continued to score important goals. He scored in a game against Sassuolo and against Hellas Verona. He also scored the first goal in the 2021 Supercoppa Italiana match, though Juventus lost that game. Unfortunately, he got injured in February 2022, which ended his season early.
Loan to Leeds United
In January 2023, Weston joined the English team Leeds United on loan. He played 19 games in the Premier League, England's top league. However, he did not score any goals, and Leeds United was moved down to a lower league at the end of the season.
Return to Juventus (2023–24)
After his loan at Leeds, Weston returned to Juventus for the 2023–24 season. He became a key player in the midfield again. On September 16, 2023, he played his 100th game for Juventus. He also made many assists throughout the season, helping his teammates score goals. He made a season-high 10 assists. Weston started in the 2024 Coppa Italia final and helped Juventus win the Italian Cup for the second time.
Current Season (2024–25)
In August 2024, Weston signed a new contract with Juventus until 2026. He scored in the club's first Champions League game of the season against PSV. He also scored a great volley goal against Manchester City in another Champions League match.
International Career for the United States
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Weston McKennie has played for different United States youth teams, including the under-17 and under-20 teams. He was first called up to the senior national team in November 2017 and scored a goal in his very first game against Portugal.
In the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Weston helped the U.S. team. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Curaçao in the quarter-finals. On October 12, 2019, he scored the fastest hat-trick (three goals in one game) in the history of the U.S. men's national team. He scored three goals in just thirteen minutes against Cuba.
On June 6, 2021, Weston scored an important goal against Mexico in the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Final. His goal tied the game, which the United States eventually won 3–2. He was named the best player of that tournament.
In 2023 and 2024, Weston helped the U.S. team win the CONCACAF Nations League again. In the 2024 final against Mexico, he assisted the opening goal.
In June 2024, Weston and some of his teammates faced unfair treatment after a game in the 2024 Copa América.
How Weston McKennie Plays
Weston McKennie is known for being a very flexible player. He can play in many different positions on the field. At Schalke, he played in midfield, as a central defender, a full-back, and even as a forward. He is also known for his long throw-ins.
Weston mainly plays as a midfielder who runs a lot (a box-to-box midfielder). He can also play in a deeper role, helping to defend and start attacks. At Juventus, he has played in several midfield spots, including on the sides of the field or as a more attacking central midfielder.
Weston's best skills are his defending and how hard he works. He is very good at winning the ball back from opponents. He also passes well, which helps his team move the ball forward. His ability to win the ball, his smart positioning, and his eye for scoring goals from midfield make him a valuable player. Some experts have compared him to famous midfielders like Edgar Davids and Arturo Vidal.
Personal Life
Weston McKennie has been a big fan of the Wizarding World (the world of Harry Potter) since he was six years old. He even has a Harry Potter lightning bolt tattoo. When he scores a goal, his special celebration involves waving his hand as if he is casting a spell with a magic wand!
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Schalke 04 | 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | Bundesliga | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 33 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 28 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 3 | |||
| Total | 75 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 91 | 5 | |||
| Juventus (loan) | 2020–21 | Serie A | 34 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 5 |
| Juventus | 2020–21 | Serie A | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | |
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 4 | |
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | 21 | 3 | ||
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | Serie A | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 4 | |
| Total | 99 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 127 | 12 | ||
| Leeds United (loan) | 2022–23 | Premier League | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 213 | 15 | 22 | 0 | 30 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 268 | 22 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2017 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 12 | 5 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 58 | 11 | |
- Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each McKennie goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 14, 2017 | Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria, Portugal |  Portugal |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | June 30, 2019 | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, United States |  Curaçao |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 3 | July 3, 2019 | Nissan Stadium, Nashville, United States |  Jamaica |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 4 | October 11, 2019 | Audi Field, Washington, D.C., United States |  Cuba |
1–0 | 7–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 5 | 2–0 | |||||
| 6 | 4–0 | |||||
| 7 | June 6, 2021 | Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, United States |  Mexico |
2–2 | 3–2 (aet) | 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Finals |
| 8 | November 12, 2021 | TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, United States | Mexico |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | February 2, 2022 | Allianz Field, Saint Paul, United States |  Honduras |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | March 24, 2023 | Kirani James Athletic Stadium, St. George's, Grenada |  Grenada |
3–0 | 7–1 | 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 11 | 4–1 |
Awards and Achievements
Juventus
- Coppa Italia: 2020–21, 2023–24
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2020
United States
- CONCACAF Nations League: 2019–20, 2022–23, 2023–24
- CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up: 2019
Individual Awards
- U.S. Soccer Player of the Year: 2020
- CONCACAF Nations League Player of the Tournament: 2019–20
- CONCACAF Awards Best XI: 2021
- CONCACAF Nations League Finals Best XI: 2021
Images for kids
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McKennie with the United States in 2019
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McKennie with Schalke 04 in 2018
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McKennie playing for Juventus in October 2021
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McKennie with the United States at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
See also
In Spanish: Weston McKennie para niños
