Weston McKennie is having his best season yet at Juventus and he says it is his mental toughness that has allowed him to play through tough stretches during his time in Italy.

"My time at Juve has been an emotional rollercoaster," McKennie told The Cooligans this week. "I've always felt at home here. I've always felt like I've belonged here. I always stand by what I believe in and I ultimately believe in myself more than other people. I think that's what's gotten me through my career a lot.

"Being here, it's taught me a lot. Mentally, it's taught me a lot, backs against the wall, go forward, put your head down and work. Also, just maturity, in general. It's Italian culture — classy, mature, speak well. I think I've grown [in that aspect] as well."

The 27-year-old midfielder is second on the Serie A side with eight goals in all competitions this season. His manager, Luciano Spalletti, has played him in a more offensive role and it's paid off. McKennie's four goals in the Champions League came over the club's final six games in the competition.

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Success in Europe is something that McKennie has brought with him during international windows while representing the United States. He has 62 appearances for his country and will be part of Mauricio Pochettino's World Cup team this summer when the final roster is announced at the end of May.

The U.S. is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico and expectations have grown for the team after a successful string of fall international friendlies. The pre-tournament tests will not get any easier when they host Belgium and Portugal later this month and then Senegal and Germany in late May and early June.

The men's team has only advanced beyond the Round of 16 once since 1990 when they reached the quarterfinals in 2002. While there is talk of lofty expectations for the USMNT this summer, McKennie is keeping all that noise to the outside.

"I'm not someone that thinks so much ahead, I'm someone that takes it day by day and game by game," McKennie said. "I wouldn't say that I have an expectation of where we should finish because ultimately our goal at the end of the day, just like any team playing in that tournament, is to go out there and try and win it. As athletes and as competitors that's what we're going there to try and do.

"I think our expectations as a team is probably higher than what other people have for us. Because we've been together for so long, there's been new faces, new additions, but as a team we know what we're capable of and we understand the game and what's happening when we're on the field better than anyone. So I think our expectations for ourselves is high and we don't really try to let the outside criticism or outside talk try and affect us as much because at the end of the day it's going to be that 26-man roster and the staff that are going to be there and ultimately the 11 players on the field are going to have to make the difference and it's not words on the outside that's going to be able to do it.

"So, you can talk all you can talk, but it depends on how you walk the walk."

Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.