The American football (or should we say soccer) revolution is here, with young players flooding over from top North American academies and turning heads as they exceed expectations in all the major leagues around Europe.
In this article we look at the top American and Canadian talents, many of whom are being counted on to break soccer out into the mainstream across the Atlantic as well as bring silverware home for fans of their respective clubs.
Pulisic was a revelation last season and looks set to solidify his reputation as a Chelsea legend throughout 2020/21
Christian Pulisic – Chelsea
It says a lot when your name starts being mentioned in the same breath as Eden Hazard and even the great Lionel Messi, but that is the reputation that this 22-year-old from Pennsylvania has built for himself under Frank Lampard at Chelsea.
Having recovered from some niggling injuries over the summer he is now back in the first team and looking all set to link up with new signings such as Kai Havertz and Timo Werner. No doubt his name will feature into the best betting predictions when it comes to which Premier League player will garner the most assists this season, although he already has quite a bit of catching up to do in that regard.
Giovanni Reyna – Borussia Dortmund
This American starlet could well be described as the biggest of all the Bundesliga breakout stars this season, registering a hattrick of assists in a game against Freiburg, which led to Dortmund striker Erling Haaland call him the “American Dream”.
Reyna has managed all this despite not even being 18 yet, with his value already rocketing into the tens of millions of Euros.
Born in England, but with Portuguese ancestry, this youngster seems to have harnessed the best of many footballing styles to produce perfectly weighted passes and sublime vision, all of which is evident in recent Dortmund league highlights.
Players from the US now seem to adapt quicker to the technical and physical demands of European football
Tyler Adams – RBLeipzig
Although he may be at a less prestigious Bundesliga team, Tyler Adams has the experience that Giovanni Reyna lacks, having completed two full seasons with the Leipzig team that is given financial wings by its owners Red Bull.
Adams has been an ever present in the team, helping them reach a German cup final as well as establishing them as genuine title contenders.
At the age of just 21 and with 10 international caps already under his belt, this is one player with a seriously bright future.
Alphonso Davies – Bayern Munich
The US cannot lay claim to this prodigious talent, with him having pledged allegiance to the Canadian national team, but when a player is as good as him, we thought it was more than worth mentioning him.
Not only is he one half of a footballing power couple with fellow player Jordyn Huitema, he is also one of the world’s best wing-backs, becoming the first ever male Canadian player to win the Champions League. He did all this despite only being 19. Writing this article is making me feel old!
Weston McKennie– Juventus
For many US youngsters getting a college contract is the dream, so it must have been nerve-wracking for Weston McKennie to give one up in favour of him trying to make it in the German Bundesliga.
Luckily for him, things worked out well, to the point he has now been loaned out to Italian champions Juventus, where he has already played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as becoming the first-ever American to feature for the men in black and white stripes.
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