DOHA, Qatar – Christian Pulisic might be the golden boy of American soccer, and he was the face of the team that was the first player on Team USA to compete in and win the Champions League final and head into a big run from Group B to the Cup 2002 World Cup. v England (2pm ET, FOX App and FOX Sports).
However, despite being anointed after breaking onto the international scene at the age of 17, Pulisic has struggled considerably. In a book published last month, the 24-year-old candidly describes the bleakest things he has experienced over the past year at Premier League club Chelsea.
He says in Pulisic: My Journey So Far:
“Honestly, I don’t know how I would have gotten through this without the support of my family and closest friends.”
How harsh is the reality of life in the best domestic league in the world. A sluggish performance, especially against an all-world team like the Blues, can eat up weeks.
Christian pulisic on proving himself
Pulisic tells how he spoke to American legend Clint Dempsey, who played for Fulham and Tottenham before returning to MLS to finish his career, and the need to prove himself every day. “He said he felt the same when he was in England,” Pulisic, now a World Cup analyst for FOX Sports, said of Dempsey.
Dempsey recalls the conversation. He will never forget another match against the teenage Pulisic. The loss ended America’s streak of seven consecutive 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Five years later, Pulisic and the United States are on the biggest stage.
Dempsey has watched the evolution of the striker’s successor, particularly how Pulisic has adapted from blue chip stocks to the undisputed core of the American front. Another challenge Pulisic will face at this World Cup is the lack of a final representative.
The winger was not a regular starter for Chelsea before the off-season. He would usually come off the bench and play 10-30 minutes at a time.