Growing Up as an American Soccer Fan, Prom, and why Christian Pulisic Means So Much to Me
It’s May 28th, 2016. My time in elementary school was just weeks away from ending, and I was just about to turn twelve years of age. When I got home, I got to my computer as fast as I could to check the highlights of the USA vs. Bolivia match. My house didn’t have cable, so highlights were generally the only way I could keep up with soccer worldwide.
As it turned out, we’d won 4–0. But the good result didn’t matter to me. Rather, what caught my attention was the fact that the 17 — year old phenom, Christian Pulisic, had scored his first goal for the US.
As many will know, Pulisic is the posterboy of American soccer, and for good reason. During his initial rise to prominence, he was the most talented prospect in modern American history. For all the respect that legends such as Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey deserve, neither of them were as talented as Pulisic.
There was also the fact that Pulisic, who was a product of the Borussia Dortmund academy, seemed to break every rule when it came to American athletic development. He wasn’t a collegiate athlete, nor was he an MLS product.
All of this was pretty impactful for me as a young American soccer fan. Growing up, I’d always been told by my parents that the men’s team, quite frankly, sucked. Any good results or performances came not from talent but the scrappiness and grit that came with any American squad. Pulisic’s capabilities as a player were proof to me that this didn’t always have to be the case and it made me not just support, but believe, in American soccer.
Fast forward half a decade later, and it seems as if Pulisic has somewhat lived up to his potential. He’s the first ever male American to play and win a Champions League final, and at the age of 23 is still years from his prime.
And yet, sometimes I find it surreal that I’ve followed a player who started off as a kid. In all honesty, I often forget that he’s not 17 anymore. But most of my fond memories of him came when he was 17, whether it was his first start for the senior team at Dortmund, his first goal for the club, or the fact that he went to his senior prom the night before that match against Bolivia.
I’d always found that story to be a bit charming, but it resonated with me even more this past weekend, when I went to my senior prom. I realized that I’d spent 6 years — basically one third of my entire life — following a player grow both as an athlete and a person. He’s not just “Captain America” or the “LeBron James of soccer” for me.
Rather, he’s the reason why I became so involved with American soccer in the first place — the reason why before anything, I am an a US fan first. Manchester United played against a few Americans this year, including the likes of Jordan Pefok, Josh Sargent, and of course, Christian Pulisic. In all of these matches, I was hoping that these Americans would score goals — even if it meant that the Red Devils would lose. This was made easier by the fact that I stopped emotionally investing myself into a club that finished, but I digress.
That’s not to say that he’s a perfect player; he’s had a season filled with ups and downs, and there’s talks that he’s going to leave Chelsea this summer. I’ve heard the rumors of him going to Juventus and the idea of him linking up with fellow American Weston McKennie is exciting at worst.
But regardless of where he goes, I’ll support him. He was there for me when I needed someone to believe in, and I’ll be there for him until the end of his career and beyond.
