How Serie A Has Revitalized USMNT Stars Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie

In recent years, a notable influx of American talent has graced the historic fields of Serie A.

This surge not only signifies a shift in the global soccer landscape, but it also highlights the growing reputation of U.S. players on the international stage.

For Weston McKennie of Juventus and AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, though, they want to perform without any labels, pressure or expectations.

"It's becoming common now to have Americans in Europe, so we don't really want to be looked at as 'the American player' that's playing over in Europe, we just want to be looked at as just a player," McKennie told reporters at a Serie A roundtable.

"No one looks at a random player and says that Brazilian kid from wherever is crazy playing in Europe or the English player. We're just players that are fortunate and gifted and worked hard."

Despite stints in the Premier League and Bundesliga, it was Serie A that gave Pulisic and McKennie the platform to not only shred stereotypes that plagued American footballers but also gave them the confidence to regain their form on the field.

Getting Back into the Groove

Pulisic and McKennie have struggled on the pitch during the last few years.

Pulisic has spent the last four seasons at Chelsea where he made an initial impact. During his first two years with the Blues, he scored 17 goals through 77 appearances.

Unfortunately, as injuries and club turmoil began to rise to the surface, the 25-year-old found himself relegated to the bench and often harshly criticized for poor performances.

McKennie experienced similar troubles in the Premier League during the past year and a half as well. The central midfielder suffered through a disappointing loan spell at Leeds United, which ultimately led to relegation for the West Yorkshire-based club.

Now playing in Italy, the duo have put the past behind them and made the most out of Serie A to inject new life into their careers.

"I want to be happy," McKennie said. "It's important for me to have a family environment and people to get along with. Christian and I have both found our self-confidence again."

This season, McKennie has rediscovered that self-confidence and then some, becoming a crucial part of manager Massimiliano Allegri's cerebral midfield, racking up seven assists across 31 Serie A matches.

Pulisic echoed similar sentiments about his time in Italy so far.

"The self-belief I've lost that Weston spoke about, I think it's normal, and it comes and goes at times through player's careers. We both kind of needed to find that joy]again."

The Pennsylvania native has scored 10 times in 31 regular-season matches.

"I think it was the change in mindset and the way of life in Italy," Pulisic said.

"It was feeling that family environment, feeling that trust and confidence from a top team like Milan, and being trusted right away to be given opportunities to play."

What Does This Mean for the USMNT?

Fans of the United States men's national team will be excited to see two of its top players performing at a high level once again.

After defeating Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League final in late March, the Stars and Stripes are looking forward to a new challenge: competing in the 2024 Copa América, which starts on June 20.

This will be the second time the USMNT will play in the tournament, after the 2016 Centenario celebration.

Though there are still questions surrounding the re-signing of Gregg Berhalter as head coach, Pulisic and McKennie feel confident about their chances heading into this summer's competition.

"We have some great tests coming up, even before the World Cup. The Copa América will have a lot of great games and a lot of big teams that we're going to play," Pulisic said.

"We have the opportunity to show our quality."

McKennie agreed. "This summer will be an amazing test, again," he said.

"The showing we had at the 2022 World Cup has opened the eyes of the world, showing that we can compete, and we're not just looked at as a team that goes to the final whistle, we have that quality, but we can also play good football as well."

With the U.S. in Group C alongside Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia and fresh off the back of victory over Mexico, the Yanks should have the confidence to beat anyone in the tournament with Pulisic and McKennie leading the way.

La Dolce Vita

Pulisic and McKennie have undoubtedly leveled up their game as players thanks to the tactical complexities of Serie A.

The chess-like, catenaccio duels of the league have helped the duo improve as players and expand their footballing IQ.

"In Italy, for me, it's a league that likes to shift tactics," McKennie said.

"In Serie A, it's more like you're playing chess, and you have to break the games down. It's almost as if the players are the chess pieces and the coach is the guy moving them. You definitely need brains to play in Italy."

Pulisic noted that playing in the league has helped him evolve as a professional.

"I've grown a lot here," he said.

"It's been a great test for me. It also has come down to just being given opportunities. I've had a lot of time on the field to show what I can do, and I've been given a creative role and a lot of freedom at times, which has been a huge part of getting my self-belief back and growing that confidence."

Growing in confidence is precisely what both McKennie and Pulisic needed.

Following rough stints in England, playing football in Serie A has done wonders for them as players.

As the U.S. gets ready to take on some of the best teams in the world this summer, there is nothing more encouraging than seeing the country's two top players enjoying their football.

"It's been awesome, I'm loving every second of it," Pulisic said.

"It's been a fresh start for me, and I can't say enough good things about [Milan] and the fan base. It's been a big change for me, and I've enjoyed it a lot."

Let's hope that enjoyment can coarse through the rest of the U.S. squad.