Maybe, just maybe, the United States is producing its first global soccer star.
Christian Pulisic聽is the face of the U.S. Men's National Team, having played in his first FIFA World Cup qualifier before he turned 18. Chelsea of the Premier League recently invested a massive transfer fee -- the equivalent of $73.1 million in U.S. dollars -- to acquire him from Dortmund of Germany's Bundesliga.
Pulisic, 20, is still developing as a player, playing catch-up to his rivals from Europe and South America. He is a native of Hershey, Penn., and the son of a professional soccer player and coach.
He sped his development by moving to Germany in 2015 to play in Borussa Dortmund's developmental program. He had lived in England for one year as a youngster, so that added to his motivation to eventually land in the Premier League.
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鈥淚 was nervous about coming to England at first, with 鈥榮occer鈥 and everything, but when I left at first I missed it a lot. I missed that culture,鈥 he told The Guardian in November. 鈥淓veryone liked to play soccer, everyone was there. And then I would come back to the U.S. and no one really wanted to play soccer, so it was different.鈥澛
Chelsea made the preemptive move to acquire Pulisic because standout Eden Hazard has declined to extend his contract past 2020. Hazard seems eager to move on to Real Madrid, so Chelsea gained the rights to Pulisic before rival teams could make their move.
Pulisic will remain on loan to Dortmund until the summer, then make the move to England.
"They asked my opinion about him one month ago," Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri told the BBC. "My opinion was positive and today I knew that the deal is done but I didn鈥檛 know anything."
That was a huge bet to make on a still-emerging talent, but it speaks to Pulisic's potential that is unmatched by any other American-born player.
Here is what the experts were writing about this move:
Donnie Kwak, The Ringer: "Pulisic is not the first American to play in England, but he will be the highest-profile U.S. player ever in the Premier League, and he is joining a club with title aspirations. With all due respect to the Bundesliga, Pulisic鈥檚 move to Chelsea is something akin to a blue-chip college basketball star making the jump to the next level鈥攊f not quite that seismic a leap in level, then certainly similar in terms of exposure. The pressure to succeed will be immense, as will the media coverage. (NBC Sports execs are probably as excited about this transfer as anyone.) Pulisic鈥檚 high price tag and U.S. background will not only raise expectations, but also the desire of some to see him fail. But remember that this is a player whose ambitions led him overseas at 16 and saw him playing Champions League football and captaining his national team. Now at 20 years old, Pulisic will start his next chapter on world soccer鈥檚 biggest stage."
Grant Wahl, : "Pulisic has served as the U.S. captain, has been a regular for Dortmund for the past three seasons and has been the best player on the USMNT for almost two years. He’s not there yet, but he has a real chance to become the first global U.S. men’s soccer superstar. Pulisic’s transfer fee obliterates the previous records for a USMNT player—John Brooks for €20 million ($22.4 million) to Wolfsburg in 2017—and a U.S.-born player—Jozy Altidore for $10 million to Sunderland in 2013. Pulisic now has the third-highest transfer fee ever for a player 20 years old or younger, behind Frenchmen Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Most of that fee is due to what Pulisic can bring on the field. But the price no doubt got a bump as well from Pulisic’s young age and his status as an American; like so many European clubs, Chelsea wants to get bigger in the U.S., and buying the best U.S. player can only help."
Mark Ogden, : "In Pulisic, Chelsea believe they are signing a player with the potential to develop into a world-class performer as Hazard has done. The United States international, who has scored nine goals in 23 games for his country, made his league debut aged just 17 for Dortmund and has since gone on to become a key figure in the club's rise to the top of the Bundesliga this season. But while all of Europe's major clubs were monitoring Pulisic, Chelsea have been smart in identifying the opportunity to sign him at a time when their rivals were seemingly unable to make a similar move. Liverpool, City and United have all watched Pulisic but each of them are well-stocked when it comes to attacking talent, both in terms of experienced world-class players and emerging youngsters. Arsenal have also been on Pulisic's trail but Unai Emery has other priorities right now -- namely in defense -- and the Gunners are not exactly short on attacking players themselves. Similarly, Tottenham do not have a vacancy in attacking positions and the same can be said on the continent, with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona also deep in terms of forward depth. Real need to refresh their squad in all departments but their preference would be to sign a recognized world star, such as Hazard, than gamble on a youngster like Pulisic. So Chelsea have moved quickly to tie him down now given their rivals' other priorities. Pulisic may yet play alongside Hazard in a Chelsea shirt but that prospect appears increasingly unlikely. It is out with the old and in with the new, perhaps, and Chelsea have at least made sure that they are now ready for life after Hazard."
Leander Schaerlaeckens, Yahoo! Sports: "The thing is, for Pulisic to go to Chelsea now feels like entirely the wrong move at the wrong time. For starters, there鈥檚 an awful lot left for Pulisic to learn at Dortmund. He hasn鈥檛 yet grown into the sort of player who dominates games in Germany. Which begs the question where the rush is in him leaving and taking a step up to the only league bigger than the Bundesliga. What鈥檚 more, Pulisic has hit a rough patch at Dortmund. He isn鈥檛 a regular at the moment. Last season, his first as a full-time first-team pick, he made 27 Bundesliga starts and five substitutions. Halfway through this season, he has made just five starts and six substitutions. He鈥檚 been displaced from his customary spot on the right wing in the lineup by the 18-year-old English sensation Jadon Sancho. It feels like leaving now, Pulisic will be shirking a fight for playing time with Sancho. There will be more of those fights, wherever he goes. Especially at a big English club, where most every summer will see the recruitment of some new threat to his spot in the team. There鈥檚 no sense in running away."
Joe Prince-Wright, : "The fact that Chelsea splashed this cash to sign Pulisic proves they are going to use him and he will be a key cog under Sarri. And that is perhaps the biggest plus for him signing for Chelsea. Sarri loves players who are able to possess the ball and press high up the pitch. That suits Pulisic’s game to a tee, and if Hazard stays this summer he will be able to link up and learn from one of the best players on the planet. Even if Hazard leaves then Pulisic will be given a greater responsibility to be Chelsea’s main attacking threat. He may not score as many goals as he would like, but his creativity, pace and ability to play in multiple positions means he will slot into this Chelsea system seamlessly. Liverpool’s front three are going nowhere, and although Pulisic has a great relationship with Jurgen Klopp, a move to Anfield just didn’t seem like a good fit, at least right now. If he gets the opportunity to play regularly, as he should do, then this move looks perfect for Pulisic."
Kristan Heneage, The Guardian: "Elsewhere, there is a steady emergence of U..S talent. Some had already agreed transfers to Europe ahead of the new year, such as Tyler Adams and Zack Steffen who will join RB Leipzig and Manchester City respectively. Then there are those already in Europe such as Bundesliga duo Weston McKennie at Schalke and the promising Werder Bremen striker Josh Sargent, to name but a few. Unfortunately, the optimism centered around what these players could bring to US Soccer is cast alongside a poor couple of years for the federation. Failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup was equal parts embarrassing and devastating. The subsequent process to hire Gregg Berhalter took almost a year and felt turgid, poorly organized, and only ever focused on one candidate 鈥 it was hardly a comforting first step into a new era. It is also one of the reasons there is so much pressure on Pulisic. A move to Chelsea comes with a degree of expectation, but of what level will depend on the club鈥檚 summer business.听Chelsea聽are a club in transition. Both Willian and Pedro are in their 30s, and there is also uncertainty surrounding Eden Hazard鈥檚 future at the club. As if that was not stressful enough the 20-year-old Pulisic is also seen as the poster boy for US Soccer. Although there are many talented players within the system, it is Pulisic that is seen as having the most potential. Put simply, he is the man to drive the US men鈥檚 national team into the future."
MEGAPHONE
"He's a good player. I have known him for a while and followed him closely but it's a good deal for Dortmund because they can keep him until the end of the season and a good signing for Chelsea. We will see another really skilled boy playing in England."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, on Pulisic's transfer.
Soccer in 最新杏吧原创 has a rich history
A look back at the rich history of 最新杏吧原创 soccer
最新杏吧原创 ownership group lands MLS expansion slot
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber stands with Carolyn Kindle, senior vice president and executive director of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, in March 2019.
The bid to land a Major League Soccer team for 最新杏吧原创 began publicly in聽October 2018. Members of the Taylor family and of the Kavanaugh family joined forces to prepare a formal bid for an聽expansion team.听
Carolyn Kindle Betz (pictured with Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber) joined with Jim Kavanaugh, Andy Taylor,聽Jo Ann Taylor Kindle, Christine B. Taylor, Alison Kindle Hogan, Kelly C. Taylor, Patricia A. Taylor and Barbara Taylor. The team will be the first in the league majority-owned by women.听
The group has聽deep pockets, with ties to Enterprise Holdings and World Wide Technology.
A formal announcement that 最新杏吧原创 will get a team was held Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019. The debut has been postponed a year, to 2023.听
In August 2020, the team's leadership announced its name, crest and colors: 最新杏吧原创 City SC.
In February, 最新杏吧原创 City SC won its first game against Austin FC, 3-2.
Joesy Cramer-Herrea, 6, of Lebanon, Illinois, waves a 最新杏吧原创 City SC scarf as soccer staff members shoot video during a promotional tour for the newly named MLS soccer club on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Five 最新杏吧原创 players were on team that defeated England in 1950 World Cup
1950 US World Cup soccer team that upset England 1-0. -- Members of the 1950 US World Cup team included Frank Wallace (front left) Ed McIhlvenney, Gino Pariani, Joe Gaetjens, John Souza, Eddie Souza, Joe Maca (back left), Charley Columbo, Frank Borghi, Harry Keough, Walter Bahr and Coach Bill Jeffriey. Photo from REUTERS
A 最新杏吧原创an was the keeper for the 1950 match against England in Brazil, holding a blank slate against the side considered to be the best in the world.听
Frank Borghi, who died in 2015, was one of five 最新杏吧原创ans on the team that beat England 1-0.
He made a key save in the second half on a header, knocking it wide of the net. 鈥淚 was lucky to jump in the air and deflect it with my right hand,鈥 he said in a 2009 interview.
Brazil's fans, ecstatic to see their main rival lose, carried Borghi off the field on their shoulders.听
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what they were doing at first,鈥 he said later. 鈥淚 was kind of nervous. They picked me up and carried me 110 yards to the dugout. It was kind of exciting.鈥
In addition to Borghi, Harry Keough, Gino Pariani, Frank (Peewee) Wallace and Charley Colombo were the 最新杏吧原创ans on the field for that historic win over England. (Also on the team from 最新杏吧原创 were Bob Annis, a reserve who didn鈥檛 play, and assistant coach William 鈥淐hubby鈥 Lyons.) Keough died in 2012, Pariani in 2007, Colombo in 1986 and Wallace in 1979.
Pictures from the 1950 World Cup
In 1995, a local team won a professional soccer title
FILE PHOTO APRIL, 1995 -- Kansas City's #14 Lee Tschantret is knocked down by the Ambush's #6 Steve Maurer as they pursue a loose ball.
On April 25, 1995, the Ambush staged a comeback to sweep the Harrisburg Heat in four games to become the only team in 最新杏吧原创 professional soccer to win a title.
The title was won three years after Dr. Abraham Hawatmeh brought the Tulsa Ambush to 最新杏吧原创.听
With the NHL locked out in 1994, the Ambush had the honor of playing the first regular-season game at the new Kiel Center (now the Enterprise Center).
The team would lead the league in attendance that season, averaging 7,881 a game.
The Ambush folded in 2000; a team with the same name now plays in the Major Arena Soccer League. The area has a men's team, 最新杏吧原创 FC, in the USL Championship, a league one step below the top professional level, Major League Soccer.听
A team in the failed Women's Professional Soccer league, 最新杏吧原创 Athletica, didn't win a championship in its short-lived tenure.听
Other now-defunct professional soccer teams include: Steamers (Major Indoor Soccer League), Storm (MISL), and Steamers (World Indoor Soccer League/MISL). In October 2020, 最新杏吧原创 FC, a United Soccer League Championship team, played its final game.听
The last top-level men's professional soccer team was the Stars
The 最新杏吧原创 Stars were a team in the North American Soccer League, which was the top-level pro league from 1968 to 1984.听
The Stars played from the start of the league until 1977, when the team moved to California.听
Well-known national players were on the team, including Al Trost. (He taught at McCluer North High during the offseason.) Other well-known players included Pat McBride and English goalie Peter Bonetti.
The team wanted a better home field than Washington University's Francis Field (which had a 10,000-person capacity), and had trouble getting Busch Stadium for more than a few games during their season.
For the 1977 season, the team drew an average of 9,111 fans, but that included a crowd of more than 32,000 at Busch Stadium (the game featured Pel茅).
Robert R. Hermann was one of the owners of the team.听
Several local teams were once best in the nation
Several 最新杏吧原创 teams have won the National Challenge Cup, now known as the U.S. Open Cup.听
The tournament matches soccer teams from various levels, including Major League Soccer teams, in a single-elimination tournament to decide the best soccer team in the country.听
In May 1920, in what the 最新杏吧原创 Star described as "the greatest soccer game ever witnessed on any American field," the Ben Millers, a 最新杏吧原创 team, beat a Massachusetts team to win the title.
More than 10,000 people watched the game at Federal League Park, a stadium near the current 最新杏吧原创 University campus. The 最新杏吧原创 team was the first outside the East coast to win the title.
Many of the teams in the early decades were owned by companies, hence the familiar names.
Other 最新杏吧原创 teams went on to play, and win, the Challenge Cup, including:
鈥 Scullin Steel: 1922 (The team went to the finals again in 1923, but had to forfeit a replay after a tie.)
鈥 Stix, Baer and Fuller: 1933, 1934
鈥 Central Breweries: 1935
鈥 Simpkins-Ford: 1948, 1950
鈥 Kutis: 1957, 1986聽
鈥 Busch: 1988
Pictures from the Cup game
European clubs used to come here to play against local teams
From the 1930s through '70s, 最新杏吧原创 was a regular stop for foreign clubs making American tours. There were no professional American leagues, so teams played top amateur clubs.
Over the years, clubs came from: Canada, Mexico, England, Chile, Germany, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Scotland, France and Turkey, among others. Manchester United came twice, in 1950 and 1960, playing matches at old Public Schools Stadium. The 最新杏吧原创 teams almost always lost, though there was a 1-1 tie with Liverpool in 1964.
The games may have been regular events, but that didn鈥檛 mean they weren鈥檛 special.
鈥淚t was fun playing against (those teams),鈥 said Bob Kehoe, a defender who took part in several of them in his long career. 鈥淭hey were almost always better than we were. We鈥檙e fledglings, newcomers to the game and they鈥檝e been playing for hundreds of years. We were rarely, if ever, successful. But we鈥檇 learn from them, pick up nuances, say, 鈥業 never saw a team do that before.鈥 It was enjoyable, even if you got embarrassed.鈥
Manchester City played a team of CYC All-Stars in 最新杏吧原创 in 1958, in front of about 4,000 people. The teams played at the Public Schools Stadium.听
"As expected, the all-professional English League team won the match, by a score of 6-2," read the Post-Dispatch article. "The 最新杏吧原创 players, all amateurs, were delighted to have held the First Division team to a 1-1 score at half time and to have escaped with only six goals charged against them, one of those a penalty kick."
The day Pel茅 played Busch Stadium
Soccer great Pele, then playing for the New York Cosmos, maneuvers past Gary Rensing of the 最新杏吧原创 Stars during a North American Soccer League exhibition match in 1975 at Washington University's Francis Field. (AP Photo)
The greatest soccer player of all time had scored 1,268 goals over his illustrious career when the New York Cosmos faced the 最新杏吧原创 Stars on June 23, 1977. But with tenacious marking from Bob O'Leary and Roger Verdi and acrobatic goaltending by John Jackson, the Stars kept the incomparable聽Pel茅聽and the rest of the Cosmos off the scoreboard in a 2-0 victory.
Among his three shots, Pel茅 sent a header over the net and fired wide on a free kick. His frustration showed with 5 minutes to play when he literally tackled the Stars' Al Trost from behind.
"He should have had a caution for that but I guess because it was Pele' the referee decided to let it go," Trost said.
Soccer star Pele looks over his shoulder during a farewell match at Busch Stadium in 1977. Karen Elshout/最新杏吧原创 Post-Dispatch.听
After the game,聽Pel茅 raced over to Jackson and shook his hand.听Pel茅, then 37, retired at the end of the '77 season with his Cosmos winning the NASL title. The crowd of 32,605 at Busch Stadium was the largest to see a professional soccer game in 最新杏吧原创.
Billikens' 10 NCAA soccer championships
Bob Guelker, shown here after leading 最新杏吧原创 University to a soccer national championship in 1959, one year earlier coached a group of CYC all-stars in a 6-2 loss to Manchester City.
The Billikens men's soccer team won 10 NCAA soccer championships from 1959 to 1973.
Bob Guelker coached the team through 1966, then the team was coached by Harry Keough, a defender who played on the 1950 U.S. World Cup team.听
SLU played against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 27 times from 1971-1998 in the "Bronze Boot" matches. The rivalry was resurrected in 2018.听The 1980 match holds the record as the largest soccer crowd at an NCAA men's game (22,512).
Guelker coached at both colleges.听
U.S. Soccer has played several World Cup-qualifying matches here
Fans hold aloft the U.S. flag before a FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between the United States and St. Vincent and the Grenadines聽at Busch Stadium聽on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015.
In November 2015, the U.S. Soccer men's team defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Busch Stadium.
Before that, the national team played a qualifier in November 1989, against El Salvador at the Soccer Park in Fenton.
The 2015 game drew 45,000 people; the 1989 game had a sellout crowd of 8,500.
The team had played two previous matches in 最新杏吧原创 in the run-up to the November game.听The Americans had come to 最新杏吧原创 twice before in qualifying for the 1990 World Cup. The first was in the preliminary round, when it beat Jamaica to advance into the final round of qualifying. In their second match in that round, the Americans beat Costa Rica.
The November聽1989 match ended in a tie, but the U.S. team later qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, losing all three matches. It was the first time the American team made the World Cup since 1950.
The women's team has played at least two friendly matches in town, with one in May 2019.
最新杏吧原创an Lori Chalupny (right) controls the play as the U.S. women's soccer team plays New Zealand in a friendly on April 4, 2015 at Busch Stadium. Chalupny scored a goal in the Americans' 4-0 win. (Post-Dispatch photo by Huy Mach)
Hermann Trophy is annually awarded here
1.6.2017--2016 MAC Hermann Award--Christen Press (center) of the U.S. women鈥檚 national team and a 2010 winner of the MAC Hermann Trophy, with 2016 honorees Kadeisha Buchanan and Ian Harkes. Photo by Joe Angeles/WUSTL Photos
Soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy, the Hermann Trophy, is awarded through the Missouri Athletic Club, and presented at the club in 最新杏吧原创 every year.
The top NCAA Division I women's and men's soccer player receives the trophy. Previous awardees include players who went on to be on the national roster, including Americans Christen Press, Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Michelle Akers and Tisha Venturini; and Canadian Christine Sinclair; men who went on to the national team include Alexi Lalas and Al Trost.
The award is the result of a merge of previous awards for soccer players given by Robert R. Hermann and the club.听
Youth and high school soccer thrive here
CBC players Nolan Deweese (15), Tyler McAllister (12) Bryce Starzyk (7) rush to celebrate with teammates Connor Lonero (5) and Cameron Meyer after the Cadets' win in penalty kicks over Rockhurst in the Class 4 state championship on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo. Paul Kopsky,
From the soccer program at Christian Brothers College High School, which was inducted into the Missouri sports Hall of Fame this year, to the myriad youth clubs, hundreds of children and teens play soccer in 最新杏吧原创.
Some of those players grow up to play for the U.S. national teams, including聽Ruth Harker, a goalkeeper for the University of Missouri-最新杏吧原创. She was named to the first-ever U.S. Women's National Team in 1985, a team that played one game in Italy.听
Other players include:聽Lori Chalupny (Nerinx Hall),聽Kevin Grimes (Rosary),聽Chris Klein (De Smet),聽Pat Noonan (De Smet), Steve Ralston (Oakville), Tim Ream (St. Dominic), Josh Sargent (St. Dominic), Becky Sauerbrunn (Ladue Horton Watkins) and Taylor Twellman (SLUH).
