A decade ago, on March 29, 2016, a skinny teenager from Hershey, Pa., stepped onto a field in Columbus, Ohio, for his U.S. men’s national team debut as a substitute for veteran winger Graham Zusi.
At 17 years and 193 days old, he became the youngest American to play in a World Cup qualifier.
Christian Pulisic was only beginning to make a name for himself then. There was belief that the Borussia Dortmund winger might just be the special type of player the U.S. program was longing for — one capable of playing at the highest levels of Europe.
Ten years later, Pulisic has carved out a legacy that some believe has already made him the greatest player in American men’s soccer history. He has scored 87 goals with 60 assists — more than any other American ever in Europe’s top five leagues — across a club career that has taken him from the German Bundesliga to the English Premier League to Italy’s Serie A. He is a Champions League winner, the second American man to accomplish the feat, and the first to ever play in the final.
His 32 national team goals rank fifth all-time, just two behind Eric Wynalda for fourth. His 19 assists rank tied for fourth, only four behind Michael Bradley for second all-time.
And he is still just 27.
As the face of the USMNT since before he could vote, Pulisic has shouldered the pressures and expectations that come with being the program’s best player. And in just over two months, he will carry those hopes into a home World Cup as the team’s star.
“I wouldn’t want to be in any other position,” Pulisic said last week. “I’m so lucky. I feel privileged to be in this position. There’s pressure. I feel it. Yes, it’s there, but it’s nothing that I can’t handle. I’m gonna attack it head on. We are as a team. I don’t need to do it by myself. That’s the beauty of it. I have a whole team behind me, the staff, a country of fans, and I’m just going to do the best I can. That’s all I can do.”
As he hits 10 years with the national team, here are 10 moments and story lines that have defined his U.S. career — as told by teammates, coaches and Pulisic himself.
Christian Pulisic faces Guatemala in his first USMNT cap in March 2016. (Trevor Ruszkowski / USA TODAY Sports)
The famous firsts
Pulisic had only just made his debut at Dortmund in January 2016 when he got his first national team call-up two months later. His performances with the Under-17 national team and with Dortmund — which included an assist just before joining the U.S. — had people excited about what he might do with the USMNT.
It didn’t take long to see the hype was legitimate.
“When he jumped into practice … he was so slick, and very skillful, and quick,” U.S. World Cup veteran Kyle Beckerman recalled. “The things that he does so well now, you could see it right away. … He was like, ‘I’ve been here before.’”
Jozy Altidore recalled: “He was good. You judge a player when things open up a bit — like, yeah, they show flashes. But when we had a small game, that’s when he was already walking by people. … Like, this guy is different.”
Matt Besler, who started at center back for the U.S. at the 2014 World Cup, remembered underestimating him.
“It didn’t take very long for people to understand, like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to give this guy the respect he deserves on the field. And if you don’t, he’s going to punish you’,” Besler said. “As a defender, it became very clear that you had to give him space, and respect that space, because if you got too close to him, he was just gonna skin you.”
Pulisic was still so young that, a few months later, he got permission from Jurgen Klinsmann to leave camp to attend his high school prom. He returned to the team and scored against Bolivia in a pre-Copa América friendly.
“He didn’t make it a big deal,” Besler said. “He kept it to himself and the coaching staff. He went and did his thing, he was back, played in the game, scored a goal. The story kind of wrote itself. I didn’t know that happened until way later.”
Christian Pulisic scored the U.S.’s lone goal in an infamous defeat to Trinidad & Tobago. (Ashley Allen / Getty Images)
That night in Trinidad
The enduring image of Pulisic’s first World Cup cycle was of a 19-year-old sitting on a field in Couva, Trinidad, his shirt over his face, crying.
Pulisic did his part in that infamous 2-1 loss that eliminated the U.S. from 2018 World Cup qualifying. He scored the Americans’ lone goal. Still, his World Cup dream was crushed in the harshest possible way.
“His performance against Trinidad, he was the best player on the field for us,” then-U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. “And if we had other players that stepped up like Christian did at his age, we would not have lost that game.”
Arena understood the devastation for the U.S.’s young star.
“It was going to be the greatest accomplishment of his career to date, I would think,” Arena recalled. “You know he was excited to get into that World Cup. … You know that was gonna be the thrill of his life. It crushed him.”
Teammates recalled Pulisic fully-clothed and crying in the shower in Couva as he tried to come to terms with the reality that he would have to wait at least another five years to play in a World Cup.
“We were actually roommates at the time. I spent a lot of time with Christian, so during that experience obviously it was heartbreak, it was tough,” former U.S. midfielder Kellyn Acosta said. “We were that close to achieving our dreams, which is to play in a World Cup. And I think that just ignited a fire in him, obviously. He was stepping onto the scene, but I think from that moment on he kind of shouldered a lot of things beyond that.”
After the game, U.S. legend Clint Dempsey said he delivered a simple message to the young star.
“It’s your team now,” Dempsey said.
Christian Pulisic, donning a U.S. Soccer hoodie, celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League with his parents. (Darren Walsh / Chelsea FC / Getty Images)
Trailblazing abroad
It might have seemed like a subtle gesture, but when Pulisic slipped on a gray U.S. Soccer hoodie after Chelsea’s Champions League final triumph in 2021, it was a mama-we-made-it moment for American soccer.
Pulisic entered the match in the 66th minute and nearly scored in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Manchester City. As he celebrated on the field after the game, his father handed him the hoodie with the U.S. Soccer crest on it.
“I’m so proud to be here,” Pulisic told CBS after the game. “It’s been a difficult road for me. I couldn’t imagine winning the Champions League ever in my life, and now I’m here, so this is crazy.”
Pulisic later said he hoped there were kids back home watching who could now dream that they could be in the same position. Turns out, it wasn’t just kids thinking it. His own teammates talked about what it meant to them.
“Everybody feels the same that’s here (in a U.S. men’s national team camp in Switzerland), whether it’s me at Dortmund or other guys throughout Europe,” Gio Reyna told The Athletic shortly after that final. “That anything can happen. Who knows. Not only myself, but anybody in the team, or not, could be playing in the Champions League final within a few years. I think it’s inspiring for all of us.”
Tim Weah, who made his U.S. debut in March 2018 and has often started on the attacking line with Pulisic, said it pushed him in his own club career.
“Being that it was my brother to be in that position to win, he just inspired me to want to do more for my club,” Weah told The Athletic last week in Atlanta. “And in club football, he pushes us all, man. To the limit. So it’s great having a role model like that, and also someone you can call a friend.”
A shirtless Christian Pulisic leads the celebrations in the face of Mexican fans after a scoring an extra-time penalty in the formative 2021 Concacaf Nations League final. (Robin Alam / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
A clutch PK and defiance vs. Mexico
Pulisic carried over the momentum from the Champions League win right into a Concacaf Nations League final against Mexico.
It was the first real opportunity for a young U.S. team to make a claim as the best team in Concacaf. Playing for a trophy against its top rival was a true test. The game lived up to the moment. It was a thrilling 3-2 win in which the U.S. battled back from a deficit twice.
Pulisic’s corner kick set up the first U.S. goal in the first half. Then, after Weston McKennie tied the match at 2-2 in the second half, it was Pulisic who earned a penalty in extra time. He converted from the spot and rushed to celebrate with his teammates — shirtless, with a finger to his mouth.
It may be the defining image of Pulisic’s national team career to date.
“He’s the heart of everything that we do,” Acosta said. “That game was obviously incredible, playing against Mexico in Denver. I remember the celebration and, I mean, a picture is worth 1,000 words. That says it all. That says who he is. He’s a passionate guy, a guy that’s super proud.
“That was a defining moment for us, a big game, and we needed a big moment for one of our big players. And he delivered.”
Ethan Horvath’s penalty save at the end of extra time — to go along with a big save at the end of regulation — made him man of the match in that game. But Pulisic’s goal sealed the outcome and set the U.S. on course for the 2022 World Cup.
Christian Pulisic delivers a pointed message to Mexico during a 2022 World Cup qualifier in response to a comment made by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. (John Dorton / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
The man in the mirror
Later that year, it was U.S.-Mexico again, this time in a World Cup qualifier in Cincinnati.
Ahead of the game, Mexico goalkeeper Memo Ochoa said in an interview with TUDN that “Mexico is the mirror in which the [U.S.] wants to see itself and wants to copy.”
Unsurprisingly, it became bulletin board material. Coach Gregg Berhalter said that week that it showed the U.S. still had a long way to go to earn Mexico’s respect. Ahead of the game, players hatched a plan.
“Leading up to that game, we were all in the kit room, it was the two kit guys, it was Christian, myself and DeAndre Yedlin,” Weah recalled. “And we were like, ‘We need something fire. We need some fire celebration.’ … So we took (Memo’s comments), and were like, ‘OK, we can add some fuel to the fire now.’ And that’s where that was born.”
In the 75th minute, it was Weah’s cross that found Pulisic, who had come into the game as a substitute five minutes earlier. Pulisic redirected the cross into the goal, then headed to the corner and pulled his jersey up to reveal a white T-shirt with “Man in the Mirror” written in black Sharpie.
Another clutch moment, another iconic celebration against Mexico.
“That was just a crazy moment,” Weah said. “I think that was one of our most viral moments as a team so far. It was just dope.”
Fans in Orlando – and Gio Reyna – applaud Christian Pulisic for his World Cup qualifying hat trick vs. Panama in March 2022. (Jeremy Reper / USA TODAY Sports)
His World Cup qualifying hat trick
Qualification for Pulisic’s first World Cup still wasn’t secure when the USMNT gathered for the final window of the 2022 qualifying cycle that March.
Pulisic went into camp talking about how his own expectations could be a burden.
“Sometimes it is tough,” he told ESPN. “I still haven’t completely learned. Especially going back to the U.S., sometimes I put too much pressure on myself … to do something special, where I just need to play the best I can, do what I can do, and hopefully people recognize that.”
Playing against Panama in Orlando, the U.S. needed a win to all but secure a place in Qatar. Pulisic turned in one of his best performances for the national team. He scored twice on penalty kicks, then capped his night with a lovely move in the box, nutmegging a Panamanian defender, to finish off his first and only hat trick with the national team.
It was a decisive moment for a player determined to make right what had gone wrong in 2017.
“He’s a big player, and when we need him most to show up in big moments, he delivers,” Acosta said. “And obviously, with the hat trick, that says a lot about him.”
Christian Pulisic puts his body on the line to score vs. Iran at the 2022 World Cup. (Odd Andersen / AFP / Getty Images)
Laying it all out vs. Iran
Eight months later, in Qatar, stakes were even higher. The U.S. needed a win to advance out of its 2022 World Cup group. The opponent, Iran, and the political implications around the countries only added pressure.
Pulisic had, dating back to his youth national team days, always stepped up in the biggest games for both club and country. There was no grander stage than this one in his national team career. And he delivered.
In the 38th minute, a pass dropped back to Weston McKennie, who lofted a diagonal ball to the right, into the path of a streaking Sergiño Dest. The right back headed the ball back across the box, where Pulisic was making one of his trademark late-arriving runs. Wedged between two Iranian defenders in the six-yard box, Pulisic volleyed the ball out of the air with his right foot before colliding with the Iranian goalkeeper.
USA 1, Iran 0.
That, ultimately, was the final margin. It would also end Pulisic’s night. He had sacrificed his body and went to the hospital with what U.S. Soccer called a “pelvic contusion.”
That goal “embodies what his whole vibe is about,” Weah said. “He gave it up for the team.”
Added Acosta: “That just shows who he is. That’s his character. Whatever it takes for the team to win, he’ll do it. … He’s a team-first guy. And that was a moment that kind of just solidified that.
“And I just remember after the game, we all FaceTimed him, and we all celebrated together, which was awesome.”
As Berhalter recalled: “The first thing was checking in — ‘Hey, how are you?’ — and the second thing was getting ready to play. We got word pretty quickly that he was going to be ready for the next game. And he was flying. He was over the moon. His teammates were excited. Everyone was happy.”
Christian Pulisic celebrates in front of the Brazil bench in a June 2024 friendly. (Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA TODAY Sports)
Taking the reins of the program
Playing in a World Cup can provide new perspective, and Pulisic seemed to embrace his role as leader.
Coming out of the World Cup and going into Copa América, Pulisic once again was the man scoring for the U.S. He netted goals against Germany (in a 3-1 friendly loss) and Brazil (in a 1-1 pre-Copa draw; just the second non-loss in 20 U.S. matches vs. Brazil), and again in a 2-0 win over Bolivia to open the tournament.
The Americans would shockingly go out of Copa América in the group stage, but it seemed that Pulisic was equipped to lead the program going forward.
Berhalter, speaking last year about Pulisic, touched on how much the winger had grown into his place with the national team.
“In the beginning, there was a lot of discrepancies with his performance,” Berhalter said. “But we got to a point where we felt we could count on at least an 8-out-of-10 performance from him every game. … It got to a point where people knew, ‘OK, this guy’s gonna show up.’
“To me, my biggest memory of him, when I think of Christian, it’s just how much he grew throughout that period … We saw him develop and grow into a man, and taking on this responsibility, and learning to be a pro, all that stuff. It was a fascinating period.”
Christian Pulisic gets instructions from Mauricio Pochettino during an October 2025 friendly vs. Ecuador. (Scott Coleman / Imagn Images)
The fallout of skipping Gold Cup
Pulisic’s constant battle to find balance between club and country, between being in the spotlight and trying to find the time for himself — he’s a natural introvert whose personality clashes with his stardom — came to a head under Mauricio Pochettino in May and June of 2025.
Coming off of an up-and-down season with AC Milan, Pulisic requested to take the summer off and opt out of the Concacaf Gold Cup. The decision rankled Pochettino, who was hoping to use the tournament as a chance to forge a bond with the group — especially coming out of the failures of the Nations League finals in March, when the U.S. lost to Panama and Canada.
It was made worse by Pulisic’s interview with CBS. The star pushed back on criticism from former USMNT players, but also noted that he had offered to play in two pre-tournament friendlies and “didn’t understand” Pochettino’s decision not to accede to the request. Pochettino said he didn’t need Pulisic to understand.
“I am the head coach,” Pochettino said. “I am not a mannequin.”
The U.S. would advance to the Gold Cup final without Pulisic and several other World Cup veterans. Pulisic got off to a blazing start with AC Milan that seemed to validate his belief that taking the summer off was the best thing for him to be ready for the 2026 World Cup.
Over the ensuing months, his relationship with Pochettino seemed to heal and move forward.
“What he needs is people to treat him in a natural way,” Pochettino said last week. “He’s a really normal guy.”
Christian Pulisic will carry the flag for the U.S. this summer at a home World Cup. (John Adams / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
The 2026 World Cup
Of all the moments that have built Pulisic from teenaged prospect to face of the program to American superstar, there is none bigger than what awaits this summer. Playing in a World Cup can be career-defining. Hosting is a once-in-a-generation experience.
Fair or not, Pulisic will again carry the pressures and expectations of an entire program when the U.S. meets Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium. The successes or failures of the team will undoubtedly be judged, in part, by the performances of its star player — one who is in the prime of his career.
His teammates believe he will deliver — and that his influence will push the team to higher levels.
“Obviously, we all know what type of player Christian is, and he’s someone that carries a lot of weight on his shoulders, especially here at the national team and with his club team as well,” McKennie said. “We all know that he’s a dangerous player, an important part of the team, someone that you know we can kind of lean on a little bit whenever we are in difficult times, and he accepts that … and takes it head on.”
Added Weah: “Christian, from Day 1, is the most unselfish player on the team, the most unselfish person. Usually, if you go through all the top national teams, their star player is going to have the biggest ego. Christian has zero ego, and I think that’s why it just works so well for us.
“He pushes us to be great, because you see what he does at club, you see what he’s done for us at the national team. He pushes us to be at a level that you know some wish to be. I think Christian is just, for me, the perfect player.”
