Christian Pulisic Carries US World Cup Expectations Into Paraguay Opener

IRVINE, California: As the United States get set to stage a World Cup, Christian Pulisic stands as both the biggest name and the most decorated footballer in the American squad. It is a rare place for any player to occupy, with only a few major stars in recent generations meeting that mix of elite status and a home tournament. Zinedine Zidane had it with France in 1998, Michael Ballack with Germany in 2006, and Neymar with Brazil in 2014.

Inside the US camp, Pulisic’s teammates understand the scale of what rests on him as the Americans move towards Friday night’s World Cup opener against Paraguay. Supporters, coaches and players are expecting him to provide direction and goals, banking on the experience he has built across 10 years with club and country to help lift a still-developing football nation while it plays at home.

“I can’t even imagine the weight that’s on his shoulders,” teammate Tyler Adams said. “From such a young age, he was the hope of American soccer.”

Pulisic has not pulled away from the attention, even with the glare set to intensify over the coming weeks. Speaking on Thursday, he again described the moment as “what I’ve always wanted”. At 27, with a strong record behind him and trust in the players around him, Pulisic is looking at the team’s possible progress rather than worrying about an early failure.

“Of course he needs to be an important player for us in the competition,” said coach Mauricio Pochettino, who took charge of the United States in late 2024. “(But) I think what we’ve learned after a year and a half is that the badge of the national team and the culture with this country is more important than any name, any player or any coach. That is a principal thing that we (believe) and, from there, if you have talent and quality, you can perform on that platform.”

Adams, also 27 and now a Bournemouth midfielder, has travelled much of the same road with Pulisic. He saw close up when Pulisic, then 17, stepped into the senior US set-up in late 2016. That American side later missed out on the 2018 World Cup, but Pulisic’s profile grew internationally after his 2019 switch from Dortmund to Chelsea.

At Chelsea, he was a member of the Blues team that won the Champions League in 2021, making him only the second American to secure Europe’s top club prize. In 2023, he moved to AC Milan, where he continues to hold an important role at another leading club.

Pulisic’s first World Cup appearance came four years ago in Qatar. He supplied a key goal and an assist, but the United States managed only three goals across four matches and were eliminated in the knockout round.

“It feels similar, but with a bit of that comfort of being in America,” Pulisic said of returning to the tournament. “It feels great having the people you love around you. It makes it that much more special.”