The USMNT star's career started with a Guatemalan cameo almost 10 years ago
"I've put on the U.S. jersey a few times with the youth national teams," Christian Pulisic said, "but if I do get the chance to put it on and go run out there for the men's national team, obviously there's probably no greater feeling in the world."
Those were the words of a young attacking midfielder, spoken less than 24 hours before his national team debut on March 29, 2016, against Guatemala. At the time, there was real excitement surrounding the American. U.S. players had competed in Europe before. Some had even won trophies. But none had broken into Borussia Dortmund’s first team and made an impression under a manager as respected as Jürgen Klopp. Pulisic was different. He was the next big thing – and everyone kind of knew it.
And at the age of just 17 years and 193 days, he became the youngest national team player to represent the U.S. in a World Cup qualifier when he entered the pitch in what turned out to be a comfortable 4-0 win.
And what was a pretty routine 10-minute cameo in a game that had long been decided when he entered the fray now stands as a seminal moment in U.S. soccer history – the day when one of the best to ever wear the U.S. kit stepped on a pitch for the first time. And ahead of the U.S.'s Gold Cup semifinal matchup with Guatemala, GOAL looks back at that day, almost 10 years on…
Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Pulisic wasn't supposed to be in the squad ahead of that March international break. Both he and Graham Zusi were late additions after Fabian Johnson and Matt Besler dropped out of the squad. Besler's omission was due to a concussion sustained in training the week before. Had he not clashed heads in practice, Pulisic might not have been there at all.
Regardless, there was certainly reason for Pulisic's inclusion. The USMNT needed a creative attacking presence in that side. And although Pulisic was still young, there was still a sense that he could contribute.
In the 81st minute, he replaced Zusi and jogged out onto the field wearing the No. 11 kit. It was hardly a revolutionary appearance. He played just 10 minutes, touched the ball only a handful of times, and was basically there to rest some older legs and help see things out for the U.S.
It was a timely win for the Americans, though, who put Guatemala to the sword, 4-0, just three days after losing to the same side away from home and throwing their World Cup qualification hopes into jeopardy (not for the first time that cycle). The U.S. would ultimately not qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but would rebound by making the 2022 tournament.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHY IT MATTERED
Of course, this was something of the start of an era. International debuts are rarely seismic events in isolation. Very few sprint onto the pitch, score a winning goal, or set the world alight – least of all 17-year-olds in a nothing game. What it did do, though, was set the table for things to come. Pulisic established himself on the side reasonably quickly. He scored in his third appearance, bagging in a 4-0 friendly win over Bolivia two months later.
He did it again in September, notching a brace against Saint Vincent in another World Cup qualifier. In 2016, he was named the USMNT Young Player of the Year. More success followed. By 2017, he was a fully established international. By 2018, he was the face of the USMNT for good. It is often forgotten how important Pulisic was so soon, but he remains, to this day, the youngest player to ever captain the U.S. All of that success, all of those individual moments, can be traced back to that one 10-minute cameo.
Getty ImagesFROM THOSE WHO WERE THERE
Klinsmann praised Pulisic for his efforts after the game and promised that there would be more to come from the young attacker:
"He's a very promising talent, there is no doubt about it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made that appearance in the senior national team program," Klinsmann told . "We won't overshoot him with expectations because he's in an environment where they [Dortmund] keep him grounded, where they keep him developing."
Pulisic, too, weighed in.
"It's been a dream of mine to play for my country, and today I got to make that come true so it's just an honor. I'm just going to keep moving forward from this," he said in a postmatch press conference.
Getty Images SportWHAT CAME NEXT
Immense success – at least to some degree. Pulisic may be mired in controversy at the moment, but it is admittedly difficult to question his commitment to the U.S. side over the course of the last nine years. The attacking midfielder has appeared 78 times and has found the net on 32 occasions for his country. At this rate, barring any major injury, he will be one of the most capped players in the USMNT's history.
Pulisic will likely be back in the side this fall and will lead the U.S. onto the pitch in a home World Cup in 12 months.
