Weston McKennie's North Texas ties helped him become USMNT star

LITTLE ELM, Texas - USMNT star Weston McKennie will start for the U.S. in their first World Cup game. He credits his North Texas upbringing in his rise to U.S. soccer superstardom.

The dream's beginnings

Weston McKennie's mother, Tina, says she remembers when her boy's dream of becoming a soccer star began: during the 2006 World Cup.

The McKennies were living in Germany at the time, and Weston had the opportunity to meet U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan, who signed his cleats.

"He said, ‘Mom, I want to play on that team one day’," Tina McKennie tells FOX 4's Jeff Kolb. "And I said, you will.".

North Texas soccer stardom

After the McKennies moved back to the United States, they searched for a coach to help develop Weston's talents. They found Alphonse "Al" Ngon, who was formative to Weston's early soccer years.

"If I see a kid like this, I have this kind of passion," Ngon said. "I want to make sure that he gets to where he wants to be."

Under Ngon's watch, McKennie made a name for himself in North Texas soccer, eventually getting the attention of the FC Dallas Academy.

"Everyone in North Texas kept telling me, you know, to see this kid," Jesse Suarez, an FC Dallas Academy coach, said.

Suarez had McKennie play against kids above his age group, and after seeing him play, FC Dallas Academy coach Francisco Molina told Suarez "this kid needs to play for me."

U.S. soccer recognition

At 14, McKennie got an opportunity to audition for the US Men's National team when US soccer scouts visited an FC Dallas scrimmage.

Not knowing the scouts were there, Weston scored four goals in the scrimmage and impressed the scouts.

McKennie was invited to a soccer residency in Florida to train with the USMNT for two years.

"I was just lucky to be chosen to come out here and play against older kids, and it's going to help me out in the long run," McKennie said at the time.

Regaining his love of soccer

Despite his success, he was left off the 2015 u17 World Cup roster and sent home from Florida.

"I saw a kid that was broken," Tina McKennie said. "He wasn't acting like himself."

Tina thanks Molina and Suarez for helping McKennie regain his passion for soccer after being left off the u17 team.

"Every practice, he will always be the guy that will ask, you know, to keep the soccer balls," Suarez said. "Just kicking the ball into the wall. That would go on for hours."

2026 FIFA World Cup

Weston McKennie is now a stalwart of the US Men's National Team. He will be part of the starting XI for the team as they get ready to take on Paraguay on Friday night.

Tina McKennie will be in the stands for the game.

"This is like a dream come true. I believe in him a lot," Ngon says.

Our career as developers, it makes it worthwhile," Molina says.

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