Christian Pulisic, the most accomplished and famous player on the US national team, is set to lead his team in the World Cup opener against Paraguay on Friday night.

US Hopes Rest on Pulisic’s Shoulders

Pulisic’s teammates recognize the extraordinary burden he is carrying, with everyone looking to him for leadership and goals. Despite the pressure, Pulisic does not shy away from the spotlight, saying this challenge is ‘what I’ve always wanted.’

Now 27 years old, Pulisic has enough achievement and faith in his teammates to focus on how far the Americans can go, not how far they might fall. ‘I don’t feel a difference in weight,’ Pulisic said. ‘I’m not sure. Maybe less. I just feel like there’s so many good players around me.’

Experience and Teamwork

Pulisic has been the center of the US hopes and aspirations since the World Cup was awarded to North America eight years ago. With his past World Cup experience in mind, Pulisic knows the Americans must step up quickly at home, and their opening matchup against Paraguay will put him right in the spotlight again.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino has strived to build an aggressive, attacking team around Pulisic’s talents, minimizing the team’s reliance on its best player. Prolific Europe-based strikers Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi will make their World Cup debuts this month for the US, hopefully spreading out the scoring responsibility.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.