USMNT Aims to Win Copa América, Say Weston McKenney and Christian Pulisic – Nature Today
Weston McKenney and Christian Pulisic are adamant that the USMNT is aiming to win this summer’s Copa América.
Gregg Berhalter’s team maintains their dominance in this year’s tournament: the United States reached the semifinals when they hosted the tournament in 2016.
The current champions, Argentina and Brazil, are favorites to win this year’s Copa América, with Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico among the nations hoping to advance in the tournament.
Despite never lifting the trophy, 25-year-old Juventus midfielder McKenney and AC Milan winger Pulisic believe that the American team has a chance to win the final in Miami Gardens on July 14.
“Our goal in any tournament is always to win,” McKenney said on Friday.
“We want to step onto the field with the Cup. We have players at top clubs, and as a team, we are not far off from the best in the competition. We have a great opportunity to grow and develop as a group heading into the World Cup.”
McKenney believes the US are contenders for the Copa América title (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
United States captain Pulisic, who has scored 28 goals in 66 international matches, also believes that the team is a contender for the title.
“We want to win the tournament, that’s why we play for it,” said the 25-year-old Pulisic.
“We want to go as far as we can, get out of the group, and then take it game by game from there, and at the end, we want to win the competition.
“The fact that the tournament is being held in the United States is perfect for us to showcase our skills in a big tournament. We want big crowds against big teams in big stadiums. That’s what you live for as a footballer.”
McKenney added that the advantage of the United States as hosts is “significant” and believes it can build momentum heading into the 2026 World Cup, where the country will co-host with Mexico and Canada.
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“One of our goals five years ago was to change the way the world views American soccer, and now it’s to change the way soccer is viewed within the United States and how we can change that forever,” McKenney said.
“Playing against these teams in our local stadiums is a great starting point to attract new fans and new people to the games, experience these matches, and connect with the sport.”
The United States will face Colombia on June 8 in a friendly before taking on Brazil five days later to complete their preparations for the Copa América.
They start their campaign against Bolivia on June 23, then play against Panama four days later, and finish their group stage against Uruguay on July 1.
(John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)