The midfielder of the US national team criticized the organizers of Copa America 2024
The forty-eighth Copa America significantly differs from its predecessors. Its hosting in North America has sparked dissatisfaction among some players, including USA midfielder Weston McKennie.
He expressed disappointment regarding the atmosphere at the stadiums and criticized the playing surface.
"It's very disappointing, especially for a player, to be on a stadium with a capacity of 70,000 people, but only 25,000 show up. There's no atmosphere," McKennie said.
He also noted that many stadiums prepared for this event are typically dedicated to the NFL. Initially, they had artificial turf, but natural grass was laid on top for Copa America. According to McKennie, the playing surface appears uneven.
"In Germany, everyone plays on large fields with excellent grass, and it positively influences the quality of football," McKennie added.
The United States will debut in the tournament with a match against Bolivia on Sunday night. Interestingly, a full stadium was only achieved for the opening match between Argentina and Canada.
Alex Olise
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors