American goalscorers have been popping up in the reshaped UEFA Champions League in the early part of the 2024/25 season. Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie made headlines in the opening week. They were the first US Men’s National Team (USMNT) players to score for their clubs, AC Milan and Juventus, on the same day in Champions League history.
This promising start to the season underscores the growing influence of American players in Europe’s most prestigious club tournament. Over the years, several U.S. stars have found their scoring touch in the Champions League. These players have left their mark in crucial matches, from emerging talents to seasoned professionals. Let’s take a closer look at a list of American goal-scorers in Champions League history.
Top American goalscorers in Champions League history
5. American players with one goal
Six American players, past and present, have found the back of the net once in the UEFA Champions League. The list includes Maurice Edu, Sacha Kljestan, and Jovan Kirovski for the former generation. Edu scored his goal while playing for Rangers, and Kljestan made his mark with Anderlecht. Perhaps, the most significant name in this group is Jovan Kirovski. He holds a special place in U.S. soccer history.
Kirovski became the first American to win the UEFA Champions League in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund. Despite not making the final 18-man squad, he still played a role for the German side, and it was a trailblazing achievement for American players abroad.
Among the current generation, Ricardo Pepi has scored with Tyler Adams and Sergiño Dest. Adams made in 2020 with his dramatic winner for RB Leipzig against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals. He sent the German side to their first-ever Champions League semi-final.
Dest also scored in 2020 while at Barcelona during a group-stage clash against Dynamo Kyiv. Dest’s journey has since taken him to PSV Eindhoven, after a stint with AC Milan, where…
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Author : Aasif Rahman
Publish date : 2024-09-30 15:07:03
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