USMNT RECORD: Eight U.S. Players Appear in 2020-21 UEFA Champions League

Konrad de la Fuente (FC Barcelona) and Chris Richards (Bayern Munich) appearances for their respective clubs in the UEFA Champions League this week took the number of U.S. players to appear in the current competition to eight – a new record.

 

Having already tied the U.S. record of six different players appearing in the same UCL competition earlier this fall, de la Fuente officially became the seventh U.S. player to play in the current Champions League when he came on in the 83rd minute of FC Barcelona’s 4-0 win against Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday.

One day later, Chris Richards took the number of USMNT players to appear in the current competition to eight when he started Bayern Munich’s UCL tie with Red Bull Salzburg.

The UCL appearances cap a big month for the duo, both of whom also earned their USMNT debuts during the recently concluded November camp -- de la Fuente started the team’s 0-0 draw with Wales on Nov. 12, while Richards was an 80th minute substitute in the 6-2 win against Panama on Nov. 16.

 

The previous U.S. record was set during the 2004-05 edition of the Champions League. Check out a side-by-side comparison of the USA’s Champions League representation from 16 years ago and today below.


 

2004-05 Champions League

2020-21 Champions League

DaMarcus Beasley

PSV

Tyler Adams

RB Leipzig

Landon Donovan

Bayer Leverkusen

Konrad de la Fuente

Barcelona

Tim Howard

Manchester United

Sergiño Dest

Barcelona

Jermaine Jones

Bayer Leverkusen

Ethan Horvath

Club Brugge

Robbie Russell*

Rosenborg

Weston McKennie

Juventus

Jonathan Spector

Manchester United

Christian Pulisic

Chelsea

-

-

Gio Reyna

Borussia Dortmund

-

-

Chris Richards

Bayern Munich

*Robbie Russell never appeared for the USMNT

 

Go Deeper