Weston McKennie defends USMNT teammates from criticism
Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson and Yunus Musah are among the USMNT mainstays who aren't with the team, ostensibly to rest after the European season.
The national squad is also missing numerous other players due to injury or involvement in the upcoming Club World Cup, where McKennie is set to compete with Juventus.
While lauding Cristiano Ronaldo for helping lead Portugal to the UEFA Nations League championship Sunday with a win over Spain, Donovan took a shot at the current USMNT absentees.
'This is what it means to represent your country,' Donovan said, speaking of Ronaldo, on the Fox broadcast. 'This is what it means. And if you don't want to take this as a professional soccer player, as someone who gets the opportunity to wear that jersey and take it seriously and responsibly, then don't come in.
This is what it means.
'(Ronaldo is) 40 years old. He's played a long-ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off.'
The U.S. team just took a third consecutive loss, falling 2-1 to Turkey on Saturday in a friendly at East Hartford, Conn.
McKennie was asked about Donovan's comments by USA Today Sports on Monday in Italy, where he is in training with Juventus.
'Obviously, none of us take for granted playing for the national team,' McKennie told USA Today. 'None of us want to lose games. All of us want to compete.'
McKennie added about Donovan's remarks, 'No names were named. Coming off a long season, a stressful season, obviously, some players feel a different way about it, and some players feel another way.
But the comments are comments. Everyone has their own opinions, and that's life, and that's football.
'Obviously, like I said before, none of us take for granted that we get to represent a national team because it's one of the biggest honors that we can have in the sport of football. …
'So, any chance that we get, we want to play. But obviously, if you don't feel like your body is in the right condition, and you don't feel like your body is in the best form or shape or whatever, to be able to do that at 100 percent, and you feel like you're risking injury, then it's better to let someone else go in that is completely 100 percent.'
Argentina not overly reliant on Messi, says Scaloni
Also on Monday, Mark Pulisic, Christian's father, posted on Instagram a ChatGPT summary of the time when Donovan took a sabbatical from playing in 2012-13 'because he was feeling both physically and mentally exhausted after years of intense competition and the pressure that comes with being a top athlete.'
Christian Pulisic 'liked' his father's post.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
21 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Alonso promises action over words ahead of LaLiga debut
Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gives a press conference at the club's training ground in Valdebebas ahead of their Liga football match against Osasuna, in Madrid. Photo: REUTERS Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said on Monday he wanted his team's performance on the pitch to do the talking for him as he begins his first LaLiga campaign at home against Osasuna on Tuesday. Former Bayer Leverkusen coach Alonso, loved by Real fans for his trophy-laden playing years at the Bernabeu and with Spain, has been charged with reviving a Madrid side that ended last season without a major trophy. In the Club World Cup, which was Alonso's first competition as Real coach, they were knocked out by Paris St Germain in a 4-0 semi-final loss last month. Real, under Italian Carlo Ancelotti, finished four points behind LaLiga champions Barcelona and failed to retain their Champions League crown after a quarter-final exit. They also lost the Copa del Rey final to bitter rivals Barca. "I'm more about doing than talking," Alonso told reporters. "Making promises before you act doesn't usually work in football. Just saying it is not going to make it happen. We want to start down that path tomorrow. "We are really excited and want to bring that energy to the stadium and earn their (the fans') support." Alonso has bolstered Real's defence with England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold joining from Liverpool along with Bournemouth's 20-year-old Spain centre-back Dean Huijsen and left back Alvaro Carrera from Benfica. The reinforcements address last season's defensive troubles that deflated Real's title challenge. Defender Dani Carvajal, who is easing his way back after last season's ACL injury, has been named in Real's squad to face Osasuna. "It's great competition for the players, and I love that we have two who can play in each position," said Alonso. "Sometimes I will have to rotate. Carvajal is getting closer and closer to his best, and that's very good for the squad." However, Real will be without Antonio Ruediger (suspended) as well as injured left back Ferland Mendy, midfielders Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham plus forward Endrick. Alonso also discussed Real's decision to denounce plans for a Barcelona-Villarreal LaLiga match in Miami in December. Real have warned that the proposal could undermine football's competitive balance and vowed to petition soccer's governing bodies to block the move. The December 20 fixture, approved by the Spanish Football Federation last week, could become the first LaLiga match held abroad and the first European league game in the United States. It requires approval from UEFA, US Soccer, CONCACAF and FIFA.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Ilona Maher takes women's rugby onto new plane
Ilona Maher (C) has given women's rugby a huge platform to build on through her social media presence and promotion of body positivity. Photo: AFP Ilona Maher transcends women's rugby, giving it a profile outside of the sport in the way that Mia Hamm did for women's football. Now the stage is set at the women's World Cup in England for the American to spark even more interest. The 29-year-old phenomenon has attracted over eight million followers on social media, not only through her sporting exploits but also for her promotion of body positivity. She played a pivotal role in the USA women's team winning a first ever Olympic medal, beating Australia in the third-place playoff in Paris last year. On the back of that achievement, Maher featured in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition and appeared in the US version of hit TV show "Dancing with the Stars", finishing runner-up. The Maher-fuelled improvement of the USA team attracted the attention of American investor Michele Kang who donated $4 million to help develop the USA Women's Rugby Sevens Team over four years. In another sport, Kang owns the Lyon women's football team, the eight-time European champions. Maher's days in Paris were not just spent playing rugby but also attracting even more followers with her pithy social media posts. She compared life in the Athletes' Village to a reality TV show, in one humorous posting saying she was there "looking for love", to which her friend replies: "No you are here to play rugby." In more reflective mode in Paris, she told the Bleacher Report one of her goals was trying to reassure "girls" that playing sport did not take away their "girliness". "What we're trying to show is the beauty that in sports you can be a badass on the field, you can be a beast on the field, but also be a beauty," she said. "It's really important for me because I want girls to see what their body is capable of. "It's not just to be looked at, objectified, but it's strong and it's fast, and it's brilliant." Maher, who through her body positivity push has become a brand ambassador for a deodorant and a skincare product she co-founded, revels in her global popularity and being "America's sweetheart." "I love when people call me that because I feel like I'm maybe not the image you would have of a sweetheart in some sense of the word," Maher told CNN in January this year. "I'm honoured." Maher, who hails from Vermont, may be extrovert and cheerful but she keeps her ego in check by showing appreciation to those women sports stars who paved the way for her. Hamm, her fellow American and a groundbreaking football superstar of the 1990s and early noughties, a two-time Olympic and World Cup winner, features high on the list. "I remember in our gym we always had a poster of Mia Hamm, and that was always cool to look up to her," Maher told the Bleacher Report. Closer to home, though, she is part of a tight-knit family unit, with her father Michael, a keen rugby player who introduced her to the sport, Netherlands-born mum Mieneke and sisters Olivia and Adrianna. Elder sister Olivia has a considerable social media presence herself. From her father Ilona not only learned about rugby but also a crucial life lesson when he defended her at a softball event. One of the other dads complained that Maher's pitches were unhittable but he was put in his place by Maher senior. "I think that was the first moment of being told to never tone it down," she told CNN. "Because that dad over there ... wanted me to tone myself down so that it could be easier for (his daughter). "But that's not the world, is it? The world isn't going to tone down for you." Instead Maher has upped the ante and the fruits for women's rugby have been plentiful as New Zealand legend Portia Woodman-Wickliffe told AFP. "Having someone from America with that American market who is very confident, loves rugby, loves supporting women's bodies, someone as vocal as that is amazing for us," Woodman-Wickliffe said. "We need to capitalise and follow her as much as we can."
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
PSG get Ligue 1 title defence off to winning start
Vitinha (C) celebrates with teammates Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue after scoring Paris Saint-Germain's winning goal against Nantes. Photo: AFP Paris Saint-Germain got their defence of the Ligue 1 title off to a winning start on Sunday as Vitinha's deflected strike proved enough to earn the European champions a 1-0 victory away to Nantes. The Portuguese midfielder's effort midway through the second half beat goalkeeper Anthony Lopes with the aid of a wicked deflection off Nantes defender Chidozie Awaziem to break the deadlock. PSG were made to work hard for their victory as coach Luis Enrique made seven changes to his starting line-up following the UEFA Super Cup win on penalties against Tottenham Hotspur in midweek. That was the first game of the new campaign for last season's Champions League winners, who only began pre-season training on August 6 having gone all the way to the Club World Cup final in the United States in mid-July. They did not play any friendly matches prior to that and are therefore likely to require several weeks before getting close to the level at which they performed last season. However, they still had enough against a hard-working but punchless Nantes side, playing a first competitive match under new Portuguese coach Luis Castro. "I am very happy because the first objective in these matches is the victory and I think we deserved the three points," Luis Enrique said. "We were in control throughout, playing away from home. In the first half we didn't create much but that is normal because it is difficult against a team defending so deep." Asked about his team's lack of preparation for the start of the new season, the Spanish coach added: "Today we saw that our players are ready and wanted to show the level they can perform at. "They all need time which I think is normal but we will look more comfortable with the ball once we have a few more games under our belts." Ukraine defender Illia Zabarnyi played 90 minutes on his PSG debut after arriving at the start of the week from Bournemouth in a reported 66 million-euro (£57m, $76.7m) deal. Lucas Chevalier also started with the new arrival from Lille having immediately taken over from Gianluigi Donnarumma as PSG's first-choice goalkeeper. "The physical and technical abilities of Zabarnyi are perfect for the style of football I like," Luis Enrique said. "He is comfortable on the ball which is important for us, and without the ball he usually wins his duels. I think he played very well." The likes of Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia all started the game on the bench but the substitutes played a part in the goal which came on 67 minutes. Dembele played a corner from the PSG left short to Mendes and his square pass was controlled by Vitinha before the playmaker fired in. "At the moment with the physical condition of the team it is important to have players who can come on towards the end of games in an optimal condition," said Luis Enrique. "That happened in the last game against Tottenham too," he added. Goncalo Ramos, who hit the bar in the first half, had an effort disallowed for offside late on, before Bradley Barcola clipped a shot just wide as one goal proved enough. PSG's next game will be at home to Angers next Friday evening. Elsewhere on Sunday, France's 2018 World Cup-winning striker Olivier Giroud scored his first goal for Lille in their 3-3 draw at Brest. "It is a real pleasure to be back in Ligue 1," said Giroud, who left Montpellier after helping them win the title in 2012 and has spent the last 13 years abroad featuring for Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan and Los Angeles FC. Angers beat newly-promoted Paris FC 1-0 with Esteban Lepaul scoring the only goal early on and the hosts holding on despite playing most of the second half down to 10 men. Strasbourg were 1-0 winners at Metz thanks to a late strike by Argentine summer signing Joaquin Panichelli. Auxerre beat Lorient 1-0, and it is Monaco who are the first league leaders in France this season thanks to their 3-1 win over Le Havre on Saturday.
