Weston McKennie's North Texas ties helped him become USMNT star

USMNT star Weston McKennie will start for the U.S. in their first World Cup game. He credits his North Texas upbringing in his rise to U.S. soccer superstardom.The dream's beginningsWeston McKennie's mother, Tina, says she remembers when her boy's dream of becoming a soccer star began: during the 2006 World Cup.The McKennies were living in Germany at the time, and Weston had the opportunity to meet U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan, who signed his cleats."He said, ‘Mom, I want to play on that team one day’," Tina McKennie tells FOX 4's Jeff Kolb. "And I said, you will.".North Texas soccer stardomAfter the McKennies moved back to the United States, they searched for a coach to help develop Weston's talents. They found Alphonse "Al" Ngon, who was formative to Weston's early soccer years."If I see a kid like this, I have this kind of passion," Ngon said. "I want to make sure that he gets to where he wants to be."Under Ngon's watch, McKennie made a name for himself in North Texas soccer, eve