USMNT’s Weston McKennie tells Leeds teammate Brendan Aaronson to say ‘football’, not ‘football’ ahead of friendly against Mexico
- Both were not selected because the Premier League is not international pause
- The US could ban Mexico from playing stateside if homophobic chants are heard
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Weston McKennie hilariously corrected Leeds United teammate Brendan Aaronson ahead of the USA’s friendly against Mexico, reminding him of a term he had apparently forgotten since moving to England just under a year ago.
Ahead of Wednesday’s game at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona, McKennie and Aaronson were asked to give their thoughts on arguably the greatest CONCACAF rivalry of all time from England’s Leeds training facility.
The pair were not selected to participate in El Tri by interim head coach Anthony Hudson because the Premier League is not in line with the international break, but that does not mean that both players will not support their compatriots from afar.
“Sometimes it’s not going to be a football game, it’s more like fighting and getting after it,” Aaronson said as McKennie sat comfortably next to him.
‘And yes, whoever wins the 50/50 duels on the day wins the match.’
Weston McKennie (front) and Brendan Aaronson (rear) have been teammates at Leeds since January
Soon after, McKennie corrected his 22-year-old teammate, resurfacing the eternal football vs soccer debate.
“Football game,” said the Leeds midfielder who was hired from Juventus. ‘Football match.’
Earlier this week it was announced that the Mexican national team will be banned from playing international games on US soil for two years if “discriminatory chants” are heard during Wednesday night’s game.
To ensure every measure is taken, the new policy also mandates a “bond” posted by promoters, according to the SB Nation site Out Sports.
If promoters fail to take appropriate action, the USSF will consider said bond as damages and use it to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and inclusion initiatives.
Mexico banned from playing games in US for two years as homophobic chants are heard during Arizona’s friendly game on Wednesday
Mexico fans have routinely engaged in homophobic chants over the years – most notably a chant containing the word ‘puto’, an anti-gay slur in Spanish – during matches and the FMF has received heavy penalties as a result.
In 2021, multiple Mexican international matches played in the US were halted due to the use of the chant and other bad behavior from fans – including fans hitting Gio Reyna in the face with a heavy object during the 2021 CONCACAF Nation’s League Final.