Since Weston McKennie joined Juventus in 2020, the American midfielder has experienced an extraordinary level of managerial turnover at the Italian club. When McKennie signed, Andrea Pirlo had just been appointed Juventus manager a month earlier. Since then, Juventus has seen a revolving door of leadership, with Luciano Spalletti recently becoming the team’s fifth official manager since McKennie’s arrival—and the seventh if interim coaches are included. This constant change is not new to McKennie, but it has had significant implications for both his club and national team involvement.
Recently, Juventus appointed Luciano Spalletti, who appears to value McKennie more than his predecessors. Unlike previous managers who tried to phase McKennie out before recognizing his importance, Spalletti has immediately integrated him into the team’s starting lineup. In the three matches Spalletti has overseen so far, McKennie has started every game and played nearly every minute, demonstrating the coach’s faith in his abilities. Despite this, McKennie will not be joining the United States men’s national team (USMNT) for their upcoming friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay. US head coach Mauricio Pochettino explained that McKennie’s continued presence at Juventus is crucial because the new manager is still assessing his players, and McKennie needs to convince Spalletti of his value to secure a regular spot.
Pochettino emphasized that keeping McKennie at Juventus during this transitional period is more important than having him with the national team for friendlies. “We already know what he can provide the team,” Pochettino said, highlighting that the priority is for McKennie to solidify his role at the club. This cautious approach reflects a broader challenge facing the USMNT: the difficulty of assembling a full-strength squad due to injuries and club commitments.
McKennie is not the only key player absent from the USMNT roster for these friendlies. Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman, Antonee Robinson, and Chris Richards are all sidelined due to injuries. Additionally, Tyler Adams was a late scratch after suffering a series of unfortunate incidents during his club’s recent matches, including a knee injury from a stray cleat and a collision leading to a concussion for a teammate. These absences further complicate Pochettino’s efforts to prepare his best team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The timing of these friendlies and the scarcity of full international windows where Pochettino can work with his top players present a significant hurdle. The coach has noted that the USMNT will likely have only one such window before the World Cup, coming in March 2026. By then, many European-based players will have gone through a long club season, which could impact their form and fitness. Since Pochettino took over just over a year ago, he has consistently faced the challenge of missing key players for various reasons. Even during the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals, which marked a turning point for his tenure, the team was without important strikers like Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi, as well as creative full-back Sergiño Dest. In the Gold Cup that summer, the US made a strong run to the final despite being without ten regular starters.
Some of these absences are strategic decisions by Pochettino, reflecting a careful balance between national team needs and club relationships. For example, although Christian Pulisic and Malik Tillman have recently returned from injuries, and Chris Richards has been playing regularly for Crystal Palace, none were called up for the friendlies. Richards’ club manager, Oliver Glasner, was reportedly upset by Richards’ involvement in the US camp last October, when the player featured in two intense matches despite a calf problem. To maintain good relations with clubs and protect players, Pochettino opted not to call Richards this time, demonstrating a diplomatic approach.
Pochettino is clear that the USMNT will never risk players by calling them up when they are not fully fit. His priority is always the long-term health and performance of the squad, aiming for players to be in peak condition by the time the World Cup roster is finalized. He believes that the March 2026 camp, along with the lead-up to the tournament, will provide enough time to build cohesion among the team’s top players, even if opportunities to play together are limited.
Despite these assurances