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.
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2004-05 Champions League |
2020-21 Champions League |
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DaMarcus Beasley |
PSV |
Tyler Adams |
RB Leipzig |
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Landon Donovan |
Bayer Leverkusen |
Konrad de la Fuente |
Barcelona |
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Tim Howard |
Manchester United |
Sergiño Dest |
Barcelona |
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Jermaine Jones |
Bayer Leverkusen |
Ethan Horvath |
Club Brugge |
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Robbie Russell* |
Rosenborg |
Weston McKennie |
Juventus |
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Jonathan Spector |
Manchester United |
Christian Pulisic |
Chelsea |
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- |
- |
Gio Reyna |
Borussia Dortmund |
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- |
- |
Chris Richards |
Bayern Munich |
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*Robbie Russell never appeared for the USMNT |
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