US ready to prove they can beat top teams, says McKennie

NEW YORK : The U.S. men's national team are ready to show they can beat the world's top teams, midfielder Weston McKennie said on Wednesday, as they prepare to face Germany in a home friendly.

The Americans play the four-times champions on Saturday in East Hartford, Connecticut, in what may be a rare opportunity to face a major European power before co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.

"We always compared ourselves in terms of, you know, we wanted to compete with top-level countries," McKennie told reporters. "We expect ourselves to win these games now instead of just competing with them."

The Juventus player helped the U.S. to the round of 16 in last year's World Cu in Qatar following their humiliating failure to qualify for the 2018 tournament.

They head into Saturday's game on a 13-match unbeaten streak with another friendly against Ghana set for Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Americans have claimed a spot at the 2026 tournament as co-hosts.

"It's a great opportunity to kind of see where we're at," said McKennie.

"And (to) win these type of games because (they are) the type of games that we have to win to advance the program forward, to advance ourselves forward and to be successful in the coming years."

Germany face Mexico, also on Tuesday, in Philadelphia. They are hungry for a chance at redemption after exiting at the group stage for the second World Cup in a row.