Updated
Updated · ESPN · Jun 27
Weston McKennie Claims 5-Year Vindication as Ranch Dressing Sweeps World Cup Fans
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Jun 27

Weston McKennie Claims 5-Year Vindication as Ranch Dressing Sweeps World Cup Fans

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jun 27

Summary

  • Five years after being mocked for putting ranch on pizza, McKennie said the World Cup has proved him right as foreign fans in the U.S. embrace the dressing.
  • McKennie pointed to the surge in memes, fan buzz and even TSA warnings over ranch containers above 3.4 ounces as evidence that the condiment has become a tournament sensation.
  • The USMNT midfielder has paired that off-field notoriety with a strong start on it, helping the United States beat Paraguay and Australia to win its group.
  • Ranch's breakout fits a wider World Cup pattern of spotlighting host-country food, with earlier reports noting $1.5 billion in U.S. ranch sales and brands eyeing international expansion.

Insights

After decades of obscurity abroad, why is an old American sauce suddenly captivating global World Cup fans?
Is the viral ranch craze a fluke, or does it reveal a new formula for launching American products globally?