The current U.S. player pool has never been more prominent in the top European leagues, leaving many key USMNT stars in position to contribute in the world’s most prestigious club competition.
The UEFA Champions League is the most-watched club soccer tournament in the world, and a title is considered the pinnacle of achievements in the modern club game.
Only two American players have ever won the UEFA Champions League. Jovan Kirovski became the first in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund, but he was not in the squad for the final. Christian Pulisic’s 2021 title run with Chelsea made him the first American to ever play in a Champions League showpiece.
Now in the 2024/25 campaign, there are not only multiple Americans at major European clubs competing at the top of the Champions League, but a number of them making real contributions in the knockout stage.
The Sporting News brings you a full rundown of all the USMNT players who are gunning for a winner’s medal this season.
MORE: USMNT fixtures, schedules, results, and highlights for 2025 calendar year | A look back at 2024 results
Americans in Champions League 2024/25
Christian Pulisic & Yunus Musah — AC Milan
AC Milan UCL league phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Tue, Sep. 17, 2024 | 3 p.m. | AC Milan 1-3 Liverpool | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 1 | 3 p.m. | Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 AC Milan | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 22 | 12:45 p.m. | AC Milan 3-1 Club Brugge | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Real Madrid 1-3 AC Milan | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Nov. 26 | 12:45 p.m. | Slovan Bratislava 2-3 AC Milan | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Dec. 11 | 3 p.m. | AC Milan 2-1 Red Star | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan, 22, 2025 | 3 p.m. | AC Milan 1-0 Girona | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m. | Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 AC Milan | Paramount+ |
AC Milan UCL knockout phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Wed, Feb. 12 | 3 p.m. | Feyenoord vs. AC Milan | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Feb. 18 | 12:45 p.m. | AC Milan vs. Feyenoord | Paramount+ |
While the team on the whole struggled to produce consistent results early in the 2024/25 season, Christian Pulisic has been electric for AC Milan, established as the club’s leading goal scorer. The American had four goals and an assist in the league phase, helping Milan progress through to the knockout playoff round.
USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah has also improved this season, and is finding more time on the pitch as the campaign progresses. Whether he’s been deployed in midfield or out wide, the youngster is improving consistently and becoming a more reliable player with each passing week.
MORE: How to watch soccer in the USA on Paramount+
Tim Weah & Weston McKennie — Juventus
Juventus UCL league phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Tue, Sep. 17, 2024 | 12:45 p.m. | Juventus 3-1 PSV | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Oct. 2 | 3 p.m. | RB Leipzig 2-3 Juventus | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Juventus 0-1 Stuttgart | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Lille 1-1 Juventus | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Nov. 27 | 3 p.m. | Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Dec. 11 | 3 p.m. | Juventus 2-0 Man City | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Jan, 21, 2025 | 3 p.m. | Club Brugge 0-0 Juventus | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m. | Juventus 0-2 Benfica | Paramount+ |
Juventus knockout phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Tue, Feb. 11 | 3 p.m. | Juventus 2-1 PSV | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Feb. 19 | 3 p.m. | PSV vs. Juventus | Paramount+ |
As he has so many times in his Juventus career, Weston McKennie started out the season as an afterthought but worked his way back into the regular fold and is contributing in a major way. With Juventus qualifying for the Champions League knockout playoff round, McKennie became the fifth American ever to score a UCL knockout stage goal as he gave the Italian side an early lead against PSV in the first leg at home.
WESTON MCKENNIE NEARLY TORE THE COVER OFF THE BALL WITH THIS GOLAZO 🚀 pic.twitter.com/zFdXV6hSDE
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 11, 2025
An early-season injury spell slowed Tim Weah‘s start to the season, but he has grown into an important piece of Thiago Motta’s lineup as well, playing both right-back and right wing as needed.
Gio Reyna & Cole Campbell — Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund UCL league phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Wed, Sep. 18, 2024 | 3 p.m. | Club Brugge 0-3 Dortmund | TV: CBS Sports Network Streaming: Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 1 | 3 p.m. | Dortmund 7-1 Celtic | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Real Madrid 5-2 Dortmund | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Dortmund 1-0 Sturm Graz | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Nov. 27 | 3 p.m. | Dinamo Zagreb 0-3 Dortmund | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Dec. 11 | 3 p.m. | Dortmund 2-3 Barcelona | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Jan, 21, 2025 | 3 p.m. | Bologna 2-1 Dortmund | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m. | Dortmund 3-1 Shakhtar Donetsk | Paramount+ |
Borussia Dortmund UCL knockout phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Tue, Feb. 11 | 3 p.m. | Sporting 0-3 Dortmund | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Feb. 19 | 12:45 p.m. | Dortmund vs. Sporting | Paramount+ |
Borussia Dortmund qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League with ease this season, but that had more to do with Serhiy Guirassy’s goal scoring explosion than it did with either American on the club.
While Gio Reyna has been a star for the USMNT for years, he has had a difficult time establishing himself at club level. After a failed loan spell at Nottingham Forest through the second half of last season, the 21-year-old playmaker returned to his parent club Borussia Dortmund hoping for a chance to prove he belongs as a regular first-team contributor.
Unfortunately, the oft-injured Reyna cropped up with a muscle problem while on USMNT duty in September that ruined the first half of his season, and since returning he’s been little more than a bench option for the club.
Another young American at Dortmund not quite as well known is Cole Campbell, an 18-year-old winger from the Atlanta United academy who has been with the BVB youth program for the past two years. He made his Champions League debut with 13 minutes off the bench against Sturm Graz, but has otherwise not factored into the mix.
Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman, Sergino Dest, Richie Ledezma — PSV
PSV UCL league phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Tue, Sep. 17, 2024 | 12:45 p.m. | Juventus 3-1 PSV | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 1 | 3 p.m. | PSV 1-1 Sporting CP | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 22 | 3 p.m. | Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 PSV | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Nov. 5 | 12:45 p.m. | PSV 4-0 Girona | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Nov. 27 | 3 p.m. | PSV 3-2 Shakhtar Donestk | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Brest 1-0 PSV | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Jan, 21, 2025 | 3 p.m. | Red Star 2-3 PSV | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m. | PSV 3-2 Liverpool | Paramount+ |
PSV UCL knockout phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Tue, Feb. 11 | 3 p.m. | Juventus 2-1 PSV | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Feb. 19 | 3 p.m. | PSV vs. Juventus | Paramount+ |
PSV has become a haven for promising USMNT young players who are looking to build their club careers. Dutch-born Sergino Dest is the most notable U.S. international at the club, having joined from a rocky spell at Barcelona, but he is currently recovering from an ACL tear suffered late last season.
Malik Tillman joined him and has exploded to life in the Netherlands, being named amongst WhoScored’s Best XI from the UCL league phase. Ricardo Pepi is also enjoying life at PSV, scoring goals at a rapid clip even as he is stuck behind first-choice striker Luuk de Jong. Pepi’s contributions have not gone unnoticed, as big moments such as scoring in their vital 3-2 win over Liverpool on the final day of league phase play has earned him more time.
Unfortunately, both players would go on to suffer significant injuries, keeping them out of action for the start of the knockout phase and unsure of a timeline for return. That leaves just Richie Ledezma to carry on the USMNT mantle, with the right-back earning his first start of the year in the first leg of their knockout playoff matchup with Juventus.
Cameron Carter-Vickers & Auston Trusty — Celtic
Celtic UCL league phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Wed, Sep. 18, 2024 | 3 p.m. | Celtic 5-1 Slovan Bratislava | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 1 | 3 p.m. | Dortmund 7-1 Celtic | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Oct. 23 | 12:45 p.m. | Atalanta 0-0 Celtic | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Celtic 3-1 RB Leipzig | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Nov. 27 | 3 p.m. | Celtic 1-1 Club Brugge | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Dec. 10 | 12:45 p.m. | Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Celtic | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan, 22, 2025 | 3 p.m. | Celtic 1-0 Young Boys | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m. | Aston Villa 4-2 Celtic | Paramount+ |
Celtic UCL knockout phase schedule
Thanks in large part to one of the softest league phase schedules in the entire field, Celtic squeaked into the knockout stage as one of the last qualifiers in the standings. With a core of American defenders anchoring the back line, Celtic have improved defensively this season, seeing them into the Champions League knockouts for the first time in over a decade.
Cameron Carter-Vickers has been with Celtic since joining from Tottenham three years ago and has rebuilt his career in Glasgow. Fellow center-back Auston Trusty, a former Arsenal player, joined him this past summer from Sheffield United.
The two have built a strong partnership this season, but a playoff round matchup against Bayern Munich over two legs will be a daunting task no matter how you slice it.
Folarin Balogun — Monaco
Monaco UCL league phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Thu, Sep. 19, 2024 | 3 p.m. | Monaco 2-1 Barcelona | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Oct. 2 | 3 p.m. | Dinamo Zagreb 2-2 Monaco | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 22 | 12:45 p.m. | Monaco 5-2 Red Star | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Nov. 5 | 3 p.m. | Bologna 0-1 Monaco | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Nov. 27 | 3 p.m. | Monaco 2-3 Benfica | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Dec. 11 | 3 p.m. | Arsenal 3-0 Monaco | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Jan, 21, 2025 | 12:45 p.m. | Monaco 1-0 Aston Villa | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m. | Inter Milan 3-0 Monaco | Paramount+ |
Monaco UCL knockout phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Wed, Feb. 12 | 3 p.m. | Monaco vs. Benfica | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Feb. 18 | 3 p.m. | Benfica vs. Monaco | Paramount+ |
Once one of the most coveted strikers in the transfer market as he left Arsenal in search of more playing time, Folarin Balogun has struggled to get his Monaco career going.
Now in his second season with the club, the 23-year-old was already losing a battle with Switzerland international Breel Embolo for the regular striker role before suffering a long-term shoulder injury that has sidelined him for months. By the time he’s back in the spring, it’s unlikely that Monaco will still be alive in Europe, so he will have to hope for a reprieve in Ligue 1 to earn back his regular spot.
Diego Kochen — Barcelona
Barcelona UCL league phase schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | TV/Streaming |
| Thu, Sep. 19, 2024 | 3 p.m. | Monaco 2-1 Barcelona | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Oct. 1 | 3 p.m. | Barcelona 5-0 Young Boys | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Oct. 23 | 3 p.m. | Barcelona 4-1 Bayern Munich | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Nov. 6 | 3 p.m. | Red Star 2-5 Barcelona | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Nov. 26 | 3 p.m. | Barcelona 3-0 Brest | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Dec. 11 | 3 p.m. | Dortmund 2-3 Barcelona | Paramount+ |
| Tue, Jan, 21, 2025 | 3 p.m. | Benfica 4-5 Barcelona | Paramount+ |
| Wed, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m. | Barcelona 2-2 Atalanta | Paramount+ |
Barcelona UCL knockout phase schedule
While one of Barcelona’s few question marks this season have been in goal, young American goalkeeper Diego Kochen hasn’t factored into the club’s Champions League run. The 18-year-old Miami product is technically on the club’s roster for the UEFA competition, however, so if there are any further issues with Inaki Pena or Wojciech Szczesny, he could potentially feature.
Kochen has been with the Barcelona youth side since 2019, and for now will have to be content with a place in the club’s UEFA Youth League squad, where he is continuing to log strong performances.
Brilliant PK save by Diego Kochen in Barcelona’s UEFA Youth League Match this morning.
Barca would go on to beat Dinamo Zagreb 5-3 on penalties after drawing 2-2 in regular time. They advance to the Round of 16 💪pic.twitter.com/D3jKP5uQPE
— USMNT Source (@usmntsource) February 12, 2025
How to watch Champions League in USA
- TV (select matches): CBS, CBS Sports
- Streaming: Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo
The only way to watch every single match of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League in the United States is on streaming service Paramount+ from CBS Sports.
At the start of the group stage, a subscription to the base, ad-supported Paramount+ Essential costs $7.99 per month. There is also a yearly option which normally costs $59.99, but a promotion for a limited time for new subscribers who can enjoy Paramount+ starting at $2.50 per month for 12 months by selecting the annual option!
There is also a no-ads version that includes Showtime, costing $12.99 per month or $119.99 for the full year.
