Five Americans could see the field in a Champions League match that will have major implications for the U.S. national team
Soccer fans in the U.S. have fallen in love with the Champions League in recent years, and for good reason. The quality and the drama are unmatched. It’s a tournament designed to pit the best against the best, and what do Americans love more than that?
Well, perhaps this: seeing the top U.S. stars participating in that tournament. It’s something that has become more commonplace in recent years. This season, a dozen Americans feature on Champions League squads, making the tournament must-watch as far as the U.S. men’s national team is concerned.
And it starts off with a bang. Five of those dozen U.S. players could be on the field at the same time on at 12:45 pm EST Tuesday as Juventus take on PSV as the 2024 Champions League play begins. Weston McKennie and Tim Weah could be on one side, with Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi and Richy Ledezma on the other. It would be an incredible display for American soccer, to put it lightly.
It’s also a match with very real stakes, both short-term and long-term. Champions League runs, USMNT standing, future transfers – they are all at stake on Tuesday in these teams’ first match of the new tournament. What’s on the line for each player in this marquee match? GOAL takes a look.