Take a look at any team of note in the UEFA Europa League this season; chances are there's a U.S. men's national team player on the roster, one who might end up playing a key role in a title-winning run in eight months' time. This season's edition of the Europa League feels intertwined with the story of American men's soccer, to the point that the oddsmakers' top five picks to win the competition all feature at least one U.S. international. The core of the U.S. team that competed at this summer's World Cup will spend their Thursdays (and the occasional Wednesday) in European competition and sometimes against each other, the Europa League serving as a fascinating barometer for the state of the USMNT following a World Cup on home soil – and as the long road to the 2030 tournament begins.
Europe's club competitions have rarely ever offered such an unfiltered showcase for American players at the peak of their careers, a signal that they have actually earned the right to take up meaningful space at a batch of high-profile teams across the continent. The USMNT faithful may still be dreaming of a future where that dominance is spread across the UEFA Champions League, even if Americans now regularly take up roster space in that competition, though the Europa League is an important step in the right direction. A fourth consecutive World Cup exit in the round of 16 may mask it, but the USMNT-coded edition of the Europa League is a sign that the player pool is trending in the right developmental direction and has been for decades, so much so that a healthy mix of MLS academy products and European youth team standouts will spend their Thursdays (and an occasional Wednesday) competing around the continent.
With Matchday 1 of the Europa League upon us, here's a glance at the many, many Americans who hope to leave a mark in this season's competition. Watch Europa League all season long on Paramount+. He may not be back to full fitness just yet after an injury-plagued World Cup but until further notice, Christian Pulisic is the headliner on any list of standout Americans.
It is hard to know how big a role the attacker might play for Milan in Wednesday's clash against Benfica but new head coach Ruben Amorim has looked forward to his return, while Pulisic has wasted no time getting to work – his first appearance of the season came as a halftime substitute on Saturday, notching an assist as Milan turned a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 draw. Pulisic has found a happy home in Milan since joining the club three years ago, enjoying a pair of career-best campaigns before hitting a slump last season that he hopes is old news. At his best, the 27-year-old has registered 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, easily offering value to an ambitious Milan side.
Pulisic is joined by midfielder Yunus Musah at Milan, who spent last season on loan at Atalanta but has earned Amorim's favor to start this campaign. He has started each of their opening games this season, offering glimpses of a skillset that led to his inclusion on the 2022 World Cup roster. Musah has an eye for a progressive pass and can play well with pressure, already making his case to re-emerge on the USMNT after spending much of Mauricio Pochettino's tenure on the outside looking in.
Steady play in the Europa League will only help his argument. Midfielder Weston McKennie arrived at this summer's World Cup on the back of a career-best season at Juventus, laying the foundation for another important campaign with the Turin-based side. The 28-year-old's skill is wide-ranging, to the point that he went from playing wingback one week and center forward the next in a Champions League knockout tie last season, but Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti values McKennie's attacking abilities above all else.
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