Schalke’s Weston McKennie has been praised for his versatility by USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter, and leadership skills by international teammate Reggie Cannon.

McKennie, 21, typically plays his preferred No.8 position for the Stars and Stripes, but has assumed all manner of roles at club level since making his professional debut in May 2017 - including as a second striker and, as recently as Schalke's 3-3 draw with Fortuna Düsseldorf on Bundesliga Matchday 11, at centre-back.

"Weston is just a unique individual," Berhalter said ahead of the USA’s must-wins tie with Canada and Cuba in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying. "I don’t know if you saw the game [last] weekend, but he played centre-back. Imagine [being at] the Bundesliga level and saying, 'No problem [playing] centre-back in a back four'... I know he’s done it before in a back five, [but] it just shows how versatile he is and how much he means to a team."

Watch: Weston McKennie reflects on playing centre-back for Schalke

McKennie has, in fact, tried his hand at seven outfield positions in his 70 first-team appearances for Schalke to date: 28 in central midfield, 11 in defensive midfield, seven in attacking midfield, five at centre-back, two on the right-hand side of midfield, two as a centre-forward and one at right-back.

The Texan is set to earn his 18th senior international cap in his customary box-to-box role when the USMNT take on Canada, and US teammate and former FC Dallas development academy stablemate, Cannon, believes Schalke's walking, talking Swiss Army Knife would be an ideal candidate to captain the side in the absence of of injured skipper Michael Bradley and talisman Christian Pulisic.

"I always feel like he’s someone who will always have my back no matter the situation," the Dallas and USA right-back said of McKennie, who led his country out for the first time in their 2019 CONCACAF Cup final defeat to Mexico in the summer. "I know him the best - he’s someone who always has your back. If you lose the ball, you know he’s going to be the first one running [to get] the ball. He’s a leader and that’s something I can learn from - everyone can learn from to up their game."

Friends reunited: Reggie Cannon (l.) played alongside McKennie (r.) in the FC Dallas academy, before the Texan's move to Schalke. - 2019 Getty Images

Want more Bundesliga Action?

GET THE UPDATES!

McKennie scored three times inside 13 first-half minutes and provided two assists in a 7-0 rout of Cuba last month, with his opener after 30 seconds clocked as the second quickest in USMNT history. A subsequent 2-0 defeat to an Alphonso Davies-inspired Canada in Toronto, however, means the USMNT must now beat their north American rivals (16 November) and win their final group game against Cuba in the Cayman Islands (20 November) to have any chance of advancing to the knockout rounds of the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League.

About the clubs

FC Schalke 04

VELTINS-Arena