The Americans are on opposite sides of the seesaw at Juventus, but both want to beat Man City, contend for CWC trophy
Tim Weah's tenure at Juventus seems to be all but over, as the U.S. international has reportedly agreed to a transfer to Premier League side Nottingham Forest. Fellow American Weston McKennie, meanwhile, is now a focal point for the club after being handed the captain's armband this summer.
The two Americans have been key contributors for the over the past two seasons, and it has all led to this: a chance to make some noise at the Club World Cup.
Juventus are off to one of the hottest starts of any team in the CWC, and McKennie has captained them through it. The scored nine goals and conceded just once in victories over Club Wydad Casablanca and Al Ain. Weah, meanwhile, came off the bench in game one but went unused in game two.
Next up is Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in their group stage finale – a true test of where both the American duo and the Italian club sit in this competition.
City secured wins against both Wydad and Al Ain, as well, but has not conceded a goal in the group stage. Both Juve and the English side sit on six points, and each have a goal differential of plus-eight. With both having already secured advancement to the Round of 16, Thursday's match is about topping Group G and controlling destiny.
For Weah, that might mean leaving lasting impression on the . For McKennie, it's about leadership and stepping up in the moment for the Italian giants.
GOAL takes a look at Juve and the two Americans ahead of the Man City match.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty Images SportWayward Weah
Weah has never really landed at Juventus. Across two seasons since joining in the summer of 2023, the U.S. forward has never consistently been a member of the XI, nor has he been allowed to prove himself. That's what comes with stiff competition.
The 25-year-old has been deployed as a right winger, a right wingback, a right fullback – and in moments – has even been deputized to run the left flank of the pitch. It's shown his versatility, which, by all means, is a credit to his footballing ability – but at the same time, it's hindered his growth at the club.
It wasn't too long ago that Weah was linked with an exit, as the American was a rumored target of Everton back in January. Nothing came to fruition, and Weah ended up sticking in Turin. Since manager Igor Tudor's arrival, though, Weah has been in and out of the XI.
A reported separation is now in the cards, which, truthfully, seems a win-win situation. The American will go to Forest, where he will be deployed in an attacking position, while the will get him off their books and receive a transfer fee to bolster their squad in a different department.
Weah does, however, have a role to play in this tournament, and against City, he could be crucial.
The English club plays with three central defenders and two wingbacks, a rather similar tactical setup to Juventus, but by doing so, they often find themselves open on either the counter-attack or through quick transitional play in wide areas. For Weah, if he gets a chance off the bench, his pace and ability to stretch the pitch and utilize wide areas could become crucial late in the match if the score is close.
Tudor still knows his value, and against City, he'll know that there might be a window in which Weah could be the X-factor – even if his time in Italy is coming to an end.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMain-man McKennie
Maybe it's a surprise to some, but McKennie has been handed the armband by Tudor, and the Italian manager has told him that he is the leader of this squad at the Club World Cup. It's a huge moment for the 26-year-old American,.
McKennie played all 90 minutes against Al Ain in the opening match, but was subbed off after just 45 minutes against Club Wydad on Matchday two. He picked an early yellow card in the first match, and with the Club World Cup's strict accumulation policy, his departure midway through second made sense.
For Tudor, that does present a selection issue, but McKennie isn't the only one sitting on a yellow heading into the match – Chico Conceicao, Andrea Cambiasso, Federico Gatti and Khephren Thuram are all on cautions as well. Yet, the used the same starting XI through two matches, so why change?
Throughout his time at Juve, McKennie has been the club's everything man. He's started at nearly every position on the field at one point or another. That didn't change under new coach Igor Tudor, who started him as an No. 8, a No. 10, and a wide midfielder after taking charge of the club in March.
So, while McKennie's actual spot at Juventus seems secure because of discussions over a new deal, his actual place in the team, as always, is on the line in the Club World Cup.
"As long as I’m playing, I’m happy,” he told the FIFA website. “If you put me as goalkeeper and you tell me I’m starting now, I’ll play it. At least I’m on the field and I just want to do the best that I can to help the team and to win games. If you tell me that I score two goals but we lose or I score zero and we win, I’m the type of guy that takes the score zero and we win. So [it’s] definitely not that hard for me to do.”
It's a big match for the Italian club, and Tudor will have to manage his players carefully with the knockout rounds looming, and that goes for McKennie, as well. Can he maximize his minutes as the Juve leader?
Getty Images SportUSMNT implications
With both McKennie and Weah at the Club World Cup, they are missing out on representing the USMNT in the Gold Cup. Of course, they aren't alone – Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Ricardo Pepi, Sergino Dest, Folarin Balogun, Gio Reyna andJosh Sargent all absent from the Gold Cup, as well.
It's become a new-look USMNT at the competition, but after securing three victories in the Group Stage, the U.S. is through to the quarterfinals and will play Costa Rica on Sunday.
The next time both Weah and McKennie will be available for selection for Mauricio Pochettino's side will be in the September international window – the USMNT has international friendlies lined up against Asian sides South Korea and Japan. Less than a year out from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup – which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. – Pochettino will be looking to compete against top sides who are expected to be in the tournament.
McKennie and Weah will both look to play an important role in that camp – and if they arrive following a strong showing at the Club World Cup, it would only bolster their confidence.
Getty Images SportJuve's Club World Cup path
Man City is expected to compete for the CWC title, but all Juventus need is a draw to top Group G – which, in all likelihood, would mean they avoid Spanish giants Real Madrid in the knockout round. The scored one more goal than City in the group stage, so they sit ahead of the English club on criteria points. So win or draw, Juve top the group.
If City wins, they top the group, and the would finish second, meaning their Round of 16 match would come against the winner of Group H – and would most likely mean a matchup with Madrid. There are very thin margins, and there's a lot on the line for both teams – especially for Juventus' American duo.
"There is excitement because it's our first time in this competition," Tudor said. "Juventus always has the same ambition: to win. And that's what we want to try to do, while always maintaining our humility. We know that the FIFA Club World Cup features the best teams in the world, but we haven’t come here just to take part."
