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WASHINGTON – Weston McKinnie half-limped down the hallway beneath Audi Field, as he had across the playing surface for much of the second half of Juventus’ opening game in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. There was no opportunity for journalists to interview him following his team’s 5-0 victory against Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates, so a half-shouted question from 20 feet away had to suffice.
“Wes, you OK?”
“I’m good,” he responded. “I’ll be alright.”
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Whether he was receiving treatment for what appeared to be a minor leg injury that had him periodically tugging at his hamstring, or he just had too long a day after 90 minutes of soccer and a mandatory visit to the White House, McKinnie was not brought to the mixed zone to greet a number of American reporters in the hour between the completion of the game and his trek toward the team bus.
There was a lot for a central figure on both Juventus and the US men’s national team to discuss as this tournament and the CONCACAF Gold Cup continue simultaneously. Tim Weah, who plays less for Juve but is equally prominent with the USMNT, handled those questions admirably in his teammate’s stead.
The rules of FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, mandated both Weah and McKennie (and Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna) play in this event if their clubs insisted. And they did, although why Dortmund wanted Reyna when they gave him no run at all in a 0-0 draw against Fluminese feels like a mystery.
MORE: Club World Cup schedule, results
With those three unavailable, plus four major players missing through injury, star Christian Pulisic chose to rest to be properly prepared for the World Cup next summer in North America. And that decision was jeered by several former USMNT stars, including all-time greats Tim Howard and Landon Donovan.
“The situation with Christian is unfortunate,” Weah told Sporting News. “You have all these guys talking behind the scenes, which, at the end of the day, we just want to play football. I think to question our love for the game, our love for the (national team) badge, it’s kind of crazy. But we’ve just got to let them speak and show out on the field.
“I’m rooting for those guys at the Gold Cup. I’m following them, and hopefully they bring the cup home.”
DECOURCY: Questioning Christian Pulisic is off the mark
That was one controversy Weah was willing to discuss, but he and McKennie were less eager to be drawn into a political debate about transgender athletes when they joined a Juventus delegation invited to the Oval Office. They were positioned directly behind Trump, to his right, for the photo op with teammates and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Trump asked the players, “Could a woman make your team, fellas?”
When none responded, Juve general manager Damien Comolli pointed out the club has a women’s team (that happens to be champion of Italy’s Serie A). Trump then rhetorically asked, "But they should be playing with women?"
“It was all a surprise to me, honestly,” Weah said. “They just told us we have to go, and I had no choice but to go. I guess it was a cool experience. Obviously, being in the White House as a first time, it’s always wonderful. But I’m not one for the politics. So it wasn’t that exciting.
“It was weird. I was caught by surprise, honestly, when he started talking about all the politics, Iran and everything. I was like, ‘I just want to play football.'’’
McKennie was granted the captain’s armband by the team for the game played in his nation’s capital, not for the first time but surely a more special occasion than most, this being the first competitive game he’s played in the States with his club. Juve has toured the U.S. for preseason exhibitions, but the Club World Cup is a serious tournament. They’ll play their third game of group play June 26 against Premier League power Manchester City in Orlando after first traveling to Philadelphia for a Sunday game against Wydad AC of Morocco.
The opener against Al Ain, though, began about as ruggedly as that White House visit. In the second minute, McKennie wasn’t precise enough when attempting to receive a short pass near midfield. He missed the ball and caught an opponent in the leg, and referee Tori Penso – the only female ref in the tournament, and an American – fairly tagged him with a yellow card.
McKennie was remotely involved in the buildup toward two of the four first-half goals. Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao scored twice each in the victory, with the other coming from 20-year-old Turkish forward Kenan Yildiz.
“It’s kind of like an appetizer for what the World Cup’s going to be,” Weah said of the Club World Cup. “Obviously, the World Cup is going to be much bigger, but you kind of get the feel for what it’s like to play a big tournament at home. It’s great to get this first experience, and I’m just happy to be here.”
A part of him, though, does wish he could be with his other team, helping them to pursue a Gold Cup trophy and a sense of cohesion and urgency that was missing in March. The USMNT, with the majority of its key players available for the CONCACAF Nations League, fell in the semis to Panama and in the third-place game to Canada.
The opening Gold Cup victory over Trinidad and Tobago broke a four-game program losing streak.
“I’m always in touch with the guys, just keeping up with them, making sure everything’s on the right track and we’re headed in the right direction,” Weah said. “I think it’s important to stay in touch, and I honestly hope they bring it home. Honestly, I wish I could have been there, but you know I have club duty.”
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