Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie feels the mentality in Italy is too closed. ‘I eat pasta with pesto, tomato and chicken, everyone says it’s disgusting, but they never tried it.’
The American midfielder was one of the hosts of the 19F Podcast alongside his Juventus teammate Moise Kean.
McKennie joined Juventus in 2020 from Schalke 04. He spent two and a half years at the club before signing for Leeds United on loan in January 2023. He returned to Turin last summer following Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League.
“I like people here in Italy, but the mentality is too closed, although not fully closed,” McKennie said when asked about the Italian culture.
“Here in Italy, it’s a lot about tradition, and this is fine, but you have to be open-minded. For example. I eat pasta with pesto, tomato and chicken, and everyone is like, ‘How disgusting! Come on!’
“This is the problem: everyone says it’s disgusting, but they have never tried it.”
Not many Americans had played in Serie A when McKennie joined Juventus after the COVID pandemic, but now many of his compatriots have joined him in the Peninsula.
“I like it because everyone [in Italy] thinks Americans only play baseball, basketball and so on. When I arrived three years and a half ago everyone was asking who I was. ‘An American? Can he play football?” he said.
“Now, there are Pulisic and Musah at Milan, Tanner Tessmann and Gianluca Busio in Venice, and Timothy Weah at Juventus. Now everyone knows Americans can play football.
“There are other players from Germany and Spain, but as I said before, in Italy, everyone is a bit stuck in the head like this, and maybe they didn’t know we [Americans] can also play football, not only basketball.”
McKennie, 25, has collected 17 appearances in Turin this season, delivering two assists.
He has netted 13 goals in 113 appearances with the Old Lady and his contract in Turin runs out in June 2025.
What is this garbage?
yes but most americans are only there BECAUSE they are american.