USMNT World Cup notebook: Can McKennie continue Juventus form?

Weston McKennie GFX

GOAL takes a look at the big storylines and takeaways from the team's pre-Germany preparation in the latest installment of the USMNT notebook.

Mauricio Pochettino wasn't the only U.S. Men's National Team World Cup head coach in the building on Friday, and Sebastian wasn't the only Berhalter. As the U.S. prepare for their final pre-tournament friendly against Germany, they did so at the home of a familiar face: Gregg Berhalter.

The U.S. trained at the Chicago Fire's practice facility on Friday, which led to many fun reunions ahead of Saturday's match.

Pochettino, Berhalter, and several players spoke to the media to preview the next match. These are the big storylines, talking points, and little moments of fun from Friday in Chicago...

Berhalter McKennie World Cup 2022

A familiar face

The two players who spoke to the media on Friday were Weston McKennie and Sebastian Berhalter. As they spent the day at the Chicago Fire's training facility, both were hoping to run into the local team's head coach. McKennie wanted to reconnect with a coach who really influenced him. Berhalter wanted to ... well, isn't it obvious?

"He's a great person, and I'm not just saying this because [Sebastian is here]," McKennie said with a laugh as he spoke about Gregg Berhalter - Sebastian's father.

McKennie had only just arrived at the facility when he and the younger Berhalter took the podium, but he was looking forward to the prospect of spending some time with his former manager.

"I went to him with problems on and off the field. I've cried in front of him," McKennie said. "We've had tough times and also amazing times together, and so it'll be really nice to be able to see him around here, hopefully, today, and just to catch up and just go over some memories. I'm sure he'll probably give me some advice leading into the game and into the World Cup, because that's just the type of guy he is."

Houston Dynamo FC v Chicago Fire FC

Watching from afar

The elder Berhalter has a close relationship with many members of the USMNT, not just McKennie and not just his son. When he took over as USMNT boss following the 2018 World Cup qualifying disaster, he was tasked with ushering in a new generation. Many members of that generation were teenagers when he took over; now they're men.

It's why, even now, as he no longer coaches this group, he feels attached to it. He watched them all grow up, and now Berhalter wants to watch them reap the rewards this summer.

"I think one thing we have to remember is when I got them, they were young, they were babies, and they were just learning what it takes to be a professional athlete," Gregg Berhalter said. "Now I see them, and they're men! They have kids, and they're adults, and they know exactly what it means to maintain themselves as professionals. It's an amazing thing to see.

"I just greeted them now, and was like, 'I can't believe it, they're grown up!'. I think they'll be ready for this moment. The one thing I know about this group is that they step up to these moments."

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Injury updates

Chris Richards was out there with everyone else on Friday. He warmed up with the group without incident. He won't play this weekend, though, Pochettino confirmed. In some sense, he's frustrated with that fact, but it's also the reality.

"When we decided the roster, we thought that Chris could play the final of the Conference [League] because we had designed the roster previously," he said. "There was a line of information where we were thinking that he could play that final against Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League. He was on the bench, if you remember. After, that he could maybe be [there] against Senegal. After, today, in the end, the timelines were lengthening and [it] angers me a bit. I’m not happy because we know Chris Richards is an important player, of course, we all know it, but also when I was saying is based on the information that we had, and sometimes there wasn't clarity.

"In the end, we can hope that Chris can be there. But, in the end ,we’re going to find ourselves coming without competing [for a month] and after we have to make the decision if he’s in form to compete or not. There’s not a lot of time in the World Cup."

In general, Pochettino said various players are dealing with the normal fitness issues of this time of year. He laughed when asked to go into specifics. By and large, everyone is fine, he said, as preparation continues for the World Cup. With that said, he does understand that Saturday will be a balancing act, one with few right answers.

Pochettino essentially said there is no risk-free option for a coach before a World Cup. If he rests key players, critics may argue the team will not be sharp enough when the tournament begins. If he plays them and someone gets injured, those same critics will say he was reckless. His broader point was that, in the social media era, managers are often judged only by the outcome: if nothing goes wrong, the decision is ignored, but if something does, everyone says the coach got it wrong.

"The haters today with social media, they will never agree if you play normally with the players or if you play with the first team for the World Cup," he said. "If nothing happens, no one is going to say anything, good decision, but if something does happen, they say I have no clue!

"It's impossible to know what we need to do. That's why, from the beginning, it is to prepare in the best way that all the players have the possibility to play or to compete."

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The Germany test

In March, Pochettino spoke about the importance of playing quality European opposition because those opportunities don't come often. After defeating Senegal, the U.S. play another one this weekend in Germany. It's a good opportunity, Pochettino says.

"We wanted to play the best in preparation for this World Cup," he said. "I think all the tests of Portugal or Belgium were amazing because they allowed us to improve and to learn what we don't need to do and how we need to approach it again. I think it's a great opportunity, after Senegal, this is going to be a beautiful team that we have to face tomorrow, and it's about approaching in the best way we can."

While Pochettino wasn't around for it, the U.S. have faced this test recently. The team faced Germany in October 2023, ultimately falling 3-1 despite a Christian Pulisic goal. In total, 14 of the 26 players in this team were in the squad for that loss in Connecticut.

"I don't really remember Germany's roster for that game, and I don't know how similar it is to this roster," McKennie said, "But I think that game showed, obviously, the quality that they have, but also the quality that we have as well. We played a good game, and we had the potential to win that game as well.

"We go into this game with a lot of players that haven't played against them yet and players that have, so I think the new energy, the new style, the new circumstances in general leading into a World Cup, I think it's going to be a great test for us and I think we go out there with the same mentality that we always go out with."

United States v Belgium - International Friendly

McKennie's form

McKennie is one of several USMNT players in good form heading into this World Cup. There are also some that are in less-than-good form. The interesting thing about the World Cup is that form may or may not matter; what matters is what happens on the day.

That's how McKennie sees it at least, even as he looks to carry his Juventus confidence to this team this summer. The question, though, is where McKennie's confidence will be utilized: as a deeper midfielder or a more attacking one?

"I think any player can say that coming out of club form and being in good club form does a lot, because it's the confidence that you bring, it's the desire, the want, the everything," McKennie said. "I think the system that our coach has here, the type of player I am is a player that adapts. I'm the type of player who can play many roles, so I'm more of a guy that, wherever he needs me to do, I'll do whatever I'm called upon for.

"I try to step up and just be the best I can for the team. I think that's one thing that this team does have: no one's selfish. Everyone's here for the right reasons. Everyone's here to get a victory for the U.S., so I think it's amazing to be able to come here with confidence, and coming off a great individual season. Obviously, my club team didn't finish where we wanted to finish, but the confidence is still there."

McKennie finished the season with nine goals and six assists spread across Serie A and the Champions League. Unfortunately for him and Juventus, his team will not be playing in the Champions League after missing the fourth and final qualifying spot by just two points.