How USMNT stars Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie took dramatically different paths to Serie A success

AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie have both become key players on two of Italy’s biggest teams. On Saturday the meet up in Milan for the much awaited game between the Rossoneri and the Bianconeri (You can catch the two United States men’s national team stars on Paramount+ all season long). However, while the two American internationals both play important roles, they couldn’t have taken a less similar path at their clubs over the past couple of years. 

Pulisic quickly became a central player at AC Milan when he joined in the summer 2023 from Chelsea. McKennie, on the other hand, was out of the squad each of the last two summers, looking for a potential exit after the club informed him he wasn’t in their plans. No transfer destinations emerged and now he’s now one of the most important players under new manager Thiago Motta. 

Pulisic impresses a second manager in a row

Pulisic is one of the best players in all of Serie A and has had an outstanding start of the season, scoring seven goals in all competitions and also starting in 14 out of the 15 games played so far by the Italian giants. His impact this season has been just incredible, and followed a very impressive first season at the club, where Pulisic scored 15 goals in 50 games played in all competitions. Pulisic has been a model of consistency despite a tumultuous stretch at the club that led American owner Gerry Cardinale to appoint Paulo Fonseca to replace Stefano Pioli on the sideline over the summer.

Pulisic has been one of the best signings of the club over the past years. His impact on the team has been good since he joined the Rossoneri as he could also fit in multiple tactical positions under Pioli before and now under Fonseca. In fact, he arrived as a backup option for Milan star Rafael Leao as left winger, but the former Rossoneri manager quickly understood he couldn’t play without him and made him a starter on the right wing of the attack instead of Samu Chukwueze, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek playing behind the main striker, Olivier Giroud.

When the new season started under Fonseca, Spanish striker Alvaro Morata replaced Giroud in the attack, but Pulisic became the one primarily responsible for driving his teammates forward and up the pitch, while Leao is still struggling with some ups and downs in this first part of the season. The Portuguese winger was widely considered the star of the team and the most talented attacker on the pitch, but game after game Pulisic is proving that all wrong. It’s safe to say that most of the best games played by Fonseca’s team this season, like the 3-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid in the Champions League, have a lot to do with the performances of the American winger. 

McKennie fights his way back into contention

On Saturday, Pulisic and AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah will also face two other USMNT teammates as Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah will suit up for Juventus. McKennie’s importance to Juventus can’t be ignored, but it took him much more time to build his status at the club. The midfielder joined Juventus in the summer 2020 and has had an uneven spell at the club. After his Leeds United loan spell in 2023 things seemed different for him. 

When he came back in the summer, coach Massimiliano Allegri didn’t really considered him as a key player and multiple rumors suggested he was on his way out of the club, waiting for the right move. Weeks passed and he started to play in the pre-season tour more and more, convincing Allegri he could find some space. An injury to Paul Pogba and the suspension of Nicolo Fagioli meant McKennie found the space he needed, and  played 38 games in all competitions, playing as both central midfielder and winger as well. 

Allegri left in the summer and was replaced by Thiago Motta, and the club once again thought McKennie could leave, this time in part due to his contract expiring in the summer of 2025. The American was left out of the squad and it seemed impossible to see him again in a Juventus jersey, especially after the refused to join Aston Villa at the end of June. Once again, he proved everybody wrong. Motta announced he was back in the squad before the opening home game of the season against Como and so far he has played 12 games, and scored two goals between Serie A and UEFA Champions League, proving he can still be a key player for the Bianconeri. 

Pulisic and McKennie will face each others on Saturday, in one of the most exciting matchups of the season. Their status at the clubs is similar, as they showed how important they are over the past weeks. They only did it in different ways. 

How to watch and odds

• Date: Saturday, Nov. 23 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
• Location: San Siro — Milan, Italy
• Live stream: Paramount+
• Odds: AC Milan +120; Draw +220; Juventus +240