Tillman & McKennie: USMNT Stars Shine Abroad | Soccer News

USMNT Stars Shine Overseas as 2026 World Cup Looms

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just months away, a collection of USMNT stars and rising talents have continued to perform for their clubs overseas, offering a promising glimpse into the national team’s potential. Malik Tillman enjoyed a particularly special week for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, punctuated by three goals, while midfield partner Weston McKennie extended his impressive form with a match-winning goal for Juventus FC. Elsewhere, Auston Trusty and Patrick Agyemang delivered crucial goals for their respective sides, Folarin Balogun tallied a match-deciding assist, and numerous other American players earned valuable minutes in high-stakes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League fixtures.

Tillman’s Torrid Run for Leverkusen

Malik Tillman’s three-goal week began with a dominant performance in the UEFA Champions League, where he produced a match-winning, first-half brace to power Bayer 04 Leverkusen to a 3-0 victory against Villarreal CF. This result not only secured a crucial win but also confirmed Leverkusen’s place in the knockout round. The 25-year-old already held the distinction of being the only United States international to score multiple goals in a single Champions League fixture, having previously achieved the feat for PSV Eindhoven in a 3-2 victory against FC Shakhtar Donetsk in 2024. Last week’s brace marked Tillman’s first for club or country since he scored twice for the USMNT in a 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup match against Trinidad and Tobago.

His stellar form continued into league play on Saturday, where Tillman again found the back of the net, securing a 3-1 road victory against Eintracht Frankfurt and helping his side maintain its sixth-place position in the table.

McKennie’s Momentum Building at Juventus

Weston McKennie is demonstrably heating up at a critical juncture in the season. After scoring in each of his last three UEFA Champions League appearances for Juventus FC, the 27-year-old showcased his versatility by going 90 minutes in a scoreless draw against USMNT teammate Folarin Balogun’s AS Monaco FC on Wednesday.

McKennie then returned to Serie A action and sealed Juventus’ 4-1 road victory against Parma Calcio 1913 with a 37th-minute winner on Sunday, further solidifying his importance to the Turin club.

Trusty and Agyemang Deliver in Key Roles

Auston Trusty continues to be a key contributor in Celtic’s title defense. The second-year Celtic FC man has now scored in consecutive UEFA Europa League matches, finding the back of the net in Celtic’s 4-2 victory against FC Utrecht on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Patrick Agyemang is closing in on a significant personal milestone. Just one goal shy of recording his third double-digit scoring season of his young professional career, Agyemang tallied his ninth goal of the season in Derby County FC’s resounding 5-0 thrashing of Bristol City FC in EFL Championship play on Friday – the club’s largest road win since the 1959/60 campaign. The 25-year-old East Hartford, Conn. native has been directly involved in a goal (scoring or assisting) in each of Derby County’s last four league fixtures, extending the Rams’ unbeaten streak to four games as they push for a spot in the promotion playoffs.

Full Rundown of USMNT Players Abroad

Here’s a comprehensive look at the performances of other American players competing overseas:

• Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco FC; French Ligue 1) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Juventus FC (UEFA Champions League; Jan. 28); 56 minutes, 1 assist in 4-0 win vs. Stade Rennais FC (Ligue 1; Jan. 31)
• Chris Richards (Crystal Palace FC; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest FC (Premier League; Feb. 1)
• Johnny Cardoso (Club Atlético de Madrid; Spanish La Liga) – 26 minutes in a 2-1 loss vs. FK Bodø/Glimt (UEFA Champions League; Jan. 28); 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Levante UD (La Liga; Jan. 31)
• Tim Weah (Olympique de Marseille; French Ligue 1) – 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Club Brugge KV (UEFA Champions League; Jan. 28); 80 minutes in 2-2 draw at Paris FC (Ligue 1; Jan. 31)
• Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. FC Bayern Munich (UEFA Champions League; Jan. 28); 73 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Feyenoord (Eredivisie; Feb. 1)
• Yunus Musah (Atally BC; Italian Seray A) – 52 minutes in 1-0 loss at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (UEFA Champions League; Jan. 28); Unused substitute, DNP in 0-0 draw at Como 1907 (Serie A; Feb. 1)
• Noahkai Banks (FC Augsburg; German Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. FC St. Pauli (Bundesliga; Jan. 31)
• Brendan Aaronson (Leeds United FC; English Premier League) – 71 minutes in 4-0 loss vs. Arsenal FC (Premier League; Jan. 31)
• Tanner Tessman (Olympique Lyonnais; French Ligue 1) – 45 minutes in 4-2 win vs. PAOK FC (UEFA Europa League; Jan. 29); 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Lille OSC (Ligue 1; Feb. 1)
• Haji Wright (Coventry City FC; EFL Championship) – 71 minutes in 2-1 loss at Norwich City FC (Championship; Jan. 26); 19 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Queens Park Rangers FC (Championship; Jan. 31)
• Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; German Bundesliga) – 84 minutes in 1-1 draw at SV Werder Bremen (Bundesliga; Jan. 31).
• Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough FC; EFL Championship) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Norwich City FC (Championship; Jan. 31)
• Mark McKenzie (Toulouse FC; French Ligue 1) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. AJ Auxerre (Ligue 1; Feb. 1)
• Marlon Fossey (Royal Standard de Liège; Belgian Pro League) – 45 minutes in 2-0 win vs. RSC Anderlecht (Pro League; Feb. 1)
• James Sands (FC St. Pauli; German Bundesliga) – 77 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. RB Leipzig (Bundesliga; Jan. 27); 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at FC Augsburg (Bundesliga; Jan. 31)
• Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena FC; Italian Serie B) – 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at US Avellino 1912 (Serie B; Jan. 31)
• John Tolkin – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. SpVgg Greuther Fürth (2nd Bundesliga; Jan. 31)
• Alex Freeman (Villarreal CF; Spanish La Liga) – Unused Substitute, DNP in 2-2 draw at ca osasuna (La liga; Jan. 31).
• Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) – Injured, DNP in 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (Premier League; Jan. 31)
• Josh Sargent (Norwich City FC; EFL Championship) – DNP in 2-1 win vs. Coventry City FC (Championship; Jan. 26); DNP in 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough FC (Championship; Jan. 31)
• Pepian Ricardo – Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. FC Bayern Munich (UEFA Champions League; Jan. 28); Injured, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Feyenoord Rotterdam (Eredivisie; Feb. 1)
• Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic FC; Scottish Premiership) – Injured, DNP in 4-2 win vs. FC Utrecht (UEFA Europa League; Jan. 29); Injured, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Falkirk FC (Premiership; Feb. 1)
• Damion Downs (Hamburger SV; German Bundesliga) – Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. FC Bayern Munich (Bundesliga; Jan. 31)
• Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach; German Bundesliga) – Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw at SV Werder Bremen (Bundesliga; Jan. 31).

The continued strong performances of these players abroad bode well for the USMNT as they prepare to compete on the world stage in 2026, signaling a growing depth of talent and a promising future for American soccer.