Look at any notable team in the EuroLeague this season; there’s likely a U.S. Men’s National Team player on the roster who could end up playing a key role in their title run eight months from now.
This season’s Europa League feels so intertwined with the story of the U.S. men’s soccer team that oddsmakers’ top five players to win the tournament all feature at least one U.S. international. The core of the U.S. team competing in this summer’s World Cup will compete in Europe on Thursday (and occasionally Wednesday) and sometimes against each other, with the Europa League serving as a fascinating barometer of the U.S.’s post-World Cup status on home soil as the long road to the 2030 World Cup begins.
Few club events in Europe offer such an unfiltered showcase for American players in the prime of their careers, suggesting they’ve effectively earned the right to feature prominently in one of the continent’s most established teams. Devoted fans of the U.S. national team may still dream of a future dominance in the Champions League, a tournament where the U.S. is now regularly represented, although the Euroleague is a major step in the right direction. A fourth straight World Cup exit in the round of 16 may have overshadowed that, but the USMNT’s Europa League run is a sign that the roster is moving in the right direction, and has been for decades, to the point where a healthy mix of MLS academy products and European youth team standouts will be competing across the continent on Thursdays (and occasionally Wednesdays).
As matchday one of the Europa League approaches, let’s take a look at the many Americans looking to make their mark on the competition this season.
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AC Milan: Christian Pulisic and Yunus Moussa
He may not be fully fit yet after an injury-plagued World Cup, but Christian Pulisic is the headliner on any list of outstanding Americans until further notice. It’s hard to know how much the attacker will be able to do for Milan against Benfica on Wednesday, but new manager Ruben Amorim is looking forward to his return and Pulisic has wasted no time in getting to work – making his first appearance of the season as a half-time substitute on Saturday and providing an assist as Milan turned a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 draw. Pulisic has found a happy home at Milan since joining the club three years ago, enjoying two of the best seasons of his career before suffering a slump last season that he hopes is old news. The 27-year-old scored 17 goals and 10 assists in all competitions during his prime, easily providing value to an ambitious Milan side.
Pulisic plays alongside Milan midfielder Yunus Musah, who spent last season on loan at Atalanta but won over Amorim at the start of this season. He has started every opener of the season, giving us a glimpse of his finesse that has earned him a spot in the 2022 World Cup squad. Moussa, who has an eye for progressive passing and the ability to thrive under pressure, has proven himself worthy of a re-emergence with the U.S. national team after spending much of Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure on the outside looking in. Consistent performances in the Europa League will only help his argument.
Juventus: Weston McKennie
Midfielder Weston McKennie arrives at this summer’s World Cup after enjoying the best season of his career with Juventus, laying the foundation for another big season for the Turin-based side. The 28-year-old has a wide range of skills. In last season’s Champions League knockout round, he played as a full-back one week and a center the other week, but Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti values McKennie’s offensive ability the most. This time around, McKennie has a chance to prove that last season was no fluke but a long-awaited start where he can easily stake his claim as a unique talent on both the U.S. national team and across European club competitions.
Bournemouth: Tyler Adams
The U.S. national team’s midfielder returns to European competition for the first time since the 2021-22 season, when he made nine appearances in the Champions League for RB Leipzig. Tyler Adams has since helped Bournemouth make undeniable progress and is expected to play a major role in the team’s first European campaign. The 27-year-old provides defensive stability at the base of midfield that his colleagues for club and country cannot match, while his physical attributes make him a formidable competitor in the Europa League.
Crystal Palace: Chris Richards and Zavier Gozzo
The USMNT’s present and future intersect at Crystal Palace, with World Cup starter Chris Richards now calling 19-year-old Zavier Gozo a teammate. Richards has become a key part of the club and country squad in recent years and the 26-year-old will continue to be a key player at centre-back as the road to the 2030 World Cup begins. Gozo, meanwhile, headlines a group of U.S. rookies eager to make the senior national team. The winger, who notched 10 goals and seven assists in a season and a half before joining Palace from Real Salt Lake in MLS, is likely to be the first of a long line of U.S. national team rookies to make the leap. Gozo has already made his Premier League debut, but new manager Pierre Sage appears to have plans in place for the newcomer to transition into the first-team, making the Europa League an intriguing breeding ground for his potential given the mix and match of opponents they will face.
Bayer Leverkusen: Malik Tillman
Midfielder Malik Tillman, who scored a crucial World Cup goal a few months ago while wearing bloody socks, will be looking to chart his upward trajectory in his second season at Bayer Leverkusen. His playing time dried up in the second half of last season, but Leverkusen’s new coach values Tillman’s wide range of skills so much that he has already registered his opening assist of the season. Whether this season or in preparation for the 2030 World Cup, Tillman will be tasked with matching his performance with the club with his performance with the national team this summer, when he became one of the U.S. National Team’s most important players, playing a free-roaming role in the center of the park.
Marseille: Tim Weah
Tim Weah’s ability to play as both a winger and a full-back has made him a regular for Marseille, so much so that he now wears the captain’s armband in his second season at the club. A strong showing in the Europa League could be the key to him rediscovering his role with the U.S. national team, which despite being a starter at the 2022 World Cup – and the U.S.’s leading scorer – has taken a back seat in recent months.
Lyon: Tanner Theismann
Tanner Theismann was surprisingly left out of the World Cup squad, but injury problems at the end of Lyon’s season are no longer an issue and the 24-year-old is once again a regular for the French club. His ability to play both as a defensive midfielder and as a center back has come in handy for both club and country, a skill that could help him regain favor with U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino in an increasingly crowded midfield thanks to the emergence of several young players.
Celtics: Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trust
With one World Cup start and one World Cup goal under his belt, Auston Trusty returns to the Celtic defence, partnering centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers. The latter has recovered from an Achilles tendon injury that cost him the chance of playing in this summer’s Championship, and the pair are hoping to help the Scottish club find some stability and make changes after a difficult season. A strong performance will also ensure they stay in the national team, as they, like Theismann, face stiff competition from rookies.
How about the Alliance League?
There’s reason to think that, for all its flaws, America’s youth soccer ranks are moving in the right direction — there are always Americans bouncing around Europe, even those who may never actually make the national team. That’s the case again in the UEFA Conference League and there will be some Americans to keep an eye on in Twente’s Tyler Booth and Kevin Paredes and Panathinaikos’ Eric Palmer-Brown.
One American was noticeably absent, however, Folarin Balogun. Monaco qualified for La Liga but after a move to Everton fell through, the Ligue 1 side face some challenging options and have a bloated squad they cannot cut. As a result, Balogun was left out of their conference league squad and has not featured in a game since the World Cup while he deals with an undisclosed injury, a sticking point in the transfer saga. Balogun’s future will be something to watch in the coming months, especially if his playing time is limited due to injury or coaching choices.