When the U.S.men’s national team opens its World Cup bid on Friday in Los Angeles, all eyes will be on Christian Pulisic.
The 27-year-old star is widely considered the most talented American player of his generation and — rightly or wrongly — tasked with delivering the best result in the country’s history this summer on home soil.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.He says he’s not letting that pressure get to him.
“I think no matter what, wherever you’re playing, in the World Cup there’s pressure,” Pulisic, nicknamed “Captain America,” told NBC News in February at the training facility of his professional club, AC Milan.“I’m just going to try to live in the moment and enjoy the best I can.”Pulisic at Milanello Sports Center on Feb.
8.Lucia Buricelli for NBC NewsThat’s easier said than done.The furthest the men’s national team has gone over the last three decades has been the quarterfinals in 2002.
Since then, it either did not qualify (2018), failed to make it out of the group stage (2006) or was eliminated in the round of 16 (2010, 2014, 2022).It also doesn’t help that fans and commentators are still questioning the potential of this group — nicknamed “The Golden Generation” for its abundance of talented young players.
Former U.S.defender Alexi Lalas, now a commentator for Fox Sports, called out the roster at a news conference last month.
“This is a generation that has been given absolutely everything both on and off the field in terms of resources, in terms of opportunities, in terms of pathways,” Lalas said.“And I don’t think that I’m being unrealistic.
I don’t think I’m being unfair by saying that we should expect more from this group.”One player in particular, Lalas says, is Pulisic.Last summer, Pulisic voluntarily decided not to join Team USA in the CONCACAF Gold Cup — a tournament featuring the top nations from North America, C...