Over the past few years, there has been a significant rise in the number of American soccer players competing at prestigious European clubs.

While this seems like a positive development for the U.S. men’s national team, one player has raised concerns about a potential downside.

Weston McKennie, a midfielder for Juventus, acknowledges the progress players have made at the club level, yet he points out that the USMNT has largely stagnated since reaching the Round of 16 in the 2022 World Cup.

The low point for the team came this past summer when they were eliminated in the group stage of the Copa América. Following that tournament held on U.S. soil, head coach Gregg Berhalter was dismissed and eventually succeeded by Mauricio Pochettino.

Pochettino has only coached the team for four matches so far, but McKennie feels that the Argentine is already establishing his presence within the squad.

“Honestly, I feel like [Pochettino] has brought back a certain intensity to the team, that South American spirit, which involves challenging tackles, a disregard for the opponent, and perhaps a touch of roughness—all without going against the essence of the sport,” McKennie told CBS Sports.

Growing up, McKennie observed USMNT squads that consistently had to demonstrate their worth on the global stage. The teams from the 1990s and 2000s primarily featured players from domestic leagues or smaller European competitions.

Today, the USMNT consists mainly of a European-based roster, featuring athletes from renowned clubs like Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan. McKennie suggests that those who join the USMNT from top-tier European teams might feel less compelled to prove themselves.

“The landscape is obviously different now, given that many players are competing for respectable clubs in Europe,” said the 26-year-old. “Back then, players constantly had something to prove to bigger teams, and that’s somewhat lacking at the moment.”

McKennie remains optimistic that Pochettino can help the USMNT regain the urgency that former teams exhibited.

“We have all these players in Europe who are striving daily and playing for top clubs, unlike before when they were fighting to get into those clubs. They approached each game with a mindset of, ‘This is America; we have a reputation to defend and you doubt our abilities,’ then they would go out and show their skills,” McKennie said.

“I truly believe that [Pochettino] can instill that mentality in us once again.”