"Just my opinion" — McKennie responds to Donovan criticism of USMNT stars | OneFootball

Weston McKennie has hit back at USMNT legend Landon Donovan after the retired forward criticized the national team absentees at the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup.

Star players such as Christian Pulisic, Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Timothy Weah, and McKennie will all be absent from the squad for the tournament this June.

“This is what it means to represent your country," Donovan said over the weekend. "If you don’t want to take it seriously as a professional soccer player and someone who gets the opportunity to wear the jersey, then don’t come in."

While the players are missing for a variety of reasons, including injury or Club World Cup campaigns, Weston McKennie felt Donovan's comments were wide of the mark.

“Obviously, none of us take for granted playing for the national team. None of us want to lose games," McKennie said.

“All of us want to compete. And for me, it's a little bit, I won't say sad, but as a former national team player, I think as a national team player pool – previous, present – I think it's more about trying to build or even say something like that to a person directly rather than putting it out there.”

Most notably, McKennie pointed out that past USMNT sides have failed to show up in big moments, specifically in 2017 when the Stars and Stripes failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia.

“That's just my opinion because we've all been through those moments, even when comments about us losing the Nations League were made by many players from before, but they've had the same thing on a bigger stage with not qualifying for the World Cup.”

The United States will kick off their Gold Cup campaign on June 15 against Trinidad and Tobago.

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