Whether you’re one of the many US sports fans embracing soccer or not, you’ve likely heard of Weston McKennie.
McKennie is a professional soccer player who has made an impression on both sides of the Atlantic, helping the USMNT to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and winning trophies with Juventus, his domestic club. With the World Cup just around the corner, it’s time to look at one of our brightest stars much closer.
Weston McKennie Biography
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Weston McKennie was born in Fort Lewis, Washington, in 1998, making him 24 years old. Playing as a midfielder, he appeared for FC Phönix Otterbach in Germany as a youth, as his father was in the United States Air Force. On his return to his home country, he appeared for FC Dallas before returning to Germany in 2016 to join Schalke 04.
In 2017 he made his debut for the USMNT, scoring the opening goal in an impressive 1-1 draw with European Champions Portugal. In 2019 he hit his first hat trick as the USMNT beat Cuba 7-0 before securing a move to Juventus on the back of his good form. Since then, he’s won the Coppa Italia with the Turin-based team and lifted the CONCACAF Nations League with the USMNT. In 2020, he was named US Soccer Player of the Year as his star rose further.
Despite a shaky run-up to Qatar, the USMNT is expected to do well. They’re in a group with Iran, Wales and England and are expected to qualify for the knockout stages in the World Cup odds from Ladbrokes, which will give the midfielder a platform to display his skills to the watching world. He’s also chasing his first domestic title with Juventus, but they’ve started the current season badly and trailed leaders Napoli by seven points going into the recent international break.
Weston McKennie Net Worth
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McKennie was thought to earn around $9,000 per week when he first moved to Germany, but his form quickly saw him climb to around $35,000 per week. He’s now with Juventus in Italy, where his salary is believed to be around $40,000 per week, putting his estimated net worth at $7m. Adidas sponsors the player, but little is known of his other endorsements.
Weston McKennie Personal Life
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McKennie is currently believed to be single, meaning no distractions when he flies to Qatar in November. He previously dated Laura Rypa, a 26-year-old German model and social media influencer.
His parents are Tina and Kevin; Kevin was in the United States Air Force, whilst Tina is believed to have chosen Germany over Alaska for her husband’s posting believing it to be better for her family’s life. She has also been quoted in a Bundesliga interview as ‘busting his chops’ if he ever shows diva-like behavior with his rise to fame.
There are two more siblings; older brother John is a firefighter with interest in real estate, whilst he also has a very private sister. John is married, meaning Weston has a sister-in-law (Mimi) and a niece named Naomi. One of his friends is fellow USMNT star Christian Pulisic, whom he has known since he was 13.
His interests outside of helping the USMNT to World Cup success include cooking, watching Harry Potter and learning new languages; having played in three countries, he has little problem learning new skills and adapting to new situations. The USMNT will be hoping he can do just that in Qatar.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also want to check out our piece on TJ Watt and soccer star Dani Rhodes.