A history of American players in the UEFA Champions League

This season, the UEFA Champions League featured a record number of USMNT players - with 10 making the roster at their respective clubs.

While certain players are bound to get more minutes than others, this is a push forward towards bridging the gap between American and European football. 

In the past, the likes of Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Demarcus Beasley proudly represented the United States in the tournament. During the 2005 season, Beasley became the first American to play in the Champions League semi finals; the USMNT player leading PSV with four goals in the competition, while making appearances in all twelve tournament matches. 

Since their retirement though, there's been a new wave of young Americans making an impact in Europe.

Christian Pulisic plays a vital role for Chelsea, while Gio Reyna stuns at Dortmund. Newcomers like Tyler Adams at RB Leipzig, Weston McKennie at Juventus and Sergiño Dest at Barcelona also excite audiences as they form to become the future of USMNT. 

Reyna, in particular, has captivated audiences after a phenomenal 2021 run. He made 42 overall appearances last season, providing seven goals and six assists during his first full campaign as a Dortmund professional. 

"I think for Gio, really, the sky's the limit," Pulisic told CBS Sports. "He's got a bright future ahead of him. But like I said, he's still got a lot to prove to get to that point. Obviously, we see the potential right now and a lot of talent. So we're really excited. He's gotta keep proving himself."

Weston McKennie with Juventus made four appearances with one fantastic goal against FC Barcelona. The 22-year-old player is full of potential, ready to be unleashed during the summer tournaments for USMNT and future seasons at Juventus. 

Reyna and McKennie were among the six American players abroad to be called up to Gregg Berhalter’s 23-man roster ahead of the Nations League. 

Despite improvement from the younger players, Pulisic continues to be the standout American playing abroad. During his 2020-21 Champions League campaign, Pulisic inspired Chelsea to game-winning moments. He scored in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, and came off the bench in the second match to provide the game-winning assist.

This year, Pulisic cemented his name in history by becoming the first USMNT player to score in the semi-finals of the tournament, and the first to provide an assist in this stage of the competition. 

Christian Pulisic and Zack Steffen will face each other for the Champions League final, the first time in history two Americans feature on opposing rosters at this stage in the competition.