USMNT star Weston McKennie reveals he was star-struck the moment he met Cristiano Ronaldo after joining Juventus.
The USMNT star joined the Bianconeri in the summer window on a loan deal, with an option to join permanently for a fee of €25.5m.
McKennie always had the intention to play in the Premier League but he could not resist the lure of joining Juventus.
So, what was going through his mind when he met Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time?
Like many others, he was star-struck and in awe of CR7 at their first encounter.
McKennie recalls that exact moment and gave details of it all in a recent interview quoted by Goal.
“It’s been honestly a big honour to play with Cristiano Ronaldo. I still remember the first time I met him, I was walking down the hallway and I was like, oh snap, be cool, be cool,”
Well known for his charisma, CR7 had a nickname for his new teammate in no time at all
“[But] he’s a really genuine guy, straight to the point, he wants to win, he has a great mentality and we also joke around – he calls me Texas Boy.”
McKennie also spoke on the humility he has so far witnessed from Ronaldo.
“For a player with all the accomplishments in his career, he could be snobby and stuck up, but he’s very open and warm and brings all the players into the game no matter what age you are.”
He added: “It was definitely jaw-dropping, walking into the locker room and seeing the players you play with on PES (Pro Evolution Soccer). It was like, ‘Oh my God!’ I think I can learn so much from these people and they have definitely taken me under their wing.”
