Spotlight SOCCER | WORLD CUP It might not be fair, but Christian Pulisic's legacy is on the line this World Cup Nancy Armour USA Today Jun 15, 2026 Jun 15, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save IRVINE, Calif. — Christian Pulisic’s legacy is on the line at this World Cup.kAm~G6CD62D[ 96 =@?8 28@ 46>6?E65 9:>D6=7 2D 2 DE2C] w6’D A=2J65 :? E96 H@C=5’D 36DE =628F6D 2?5 D4@C65 8@2=D :? 3F?496D 7@C pr |:=2?[ @?6 @7 E96 >@DE DE@C:65 E62>D :? E96 82>6] w6’D D@ H6== <?@H? :? tFC@A6 96 42?’E 8@ E@ 2 C6DE2FC2?E @C 2 4@7766 D9@A H:E9@FE 42FD:?8 2 DE:C]k^AmkAmxE’D E96 :>A24E 96 92D @? E9:D &]$] >6?’D ?2E:@?2= E62> E92E H:== 56E6C>:?6 9@H 96’D G:6H65 :? 9:D 9@>6 4@F?ECJ[ 9@H6G6C]k^Am Christian Pulisic of the U.S. is defended by Paraguay's Diego Gomez during Friday's World Cup Group D match. KIYOSHI MIO, Reuters kAm%2<6 E96 &$|}% @? 2 9:DE@C:42==J 566A CF? 2E E9:D (@C=5 rFA[ 2?5 E96 6IA64E2E:@?D E92E 92G6 D925@H65 !F=:D:4 7@C E96 36EE6C A2CE @7 2 564256 H:== 36 7F=7:==65] x7 E96 &$|}% 72==D 7=2E[ @C !F=:D:4 :D 2 ?@?724E@C[ E96 3FC56? H:== 72== @? 9:D D9@F=56CD[ @?6 >@C6 2E9=6E6 H9@D6 9JA6 AC@G65 E@ 36 8C62E6C E92? 9:D C62=:EJ]k^Am People are also reading… Extradition hearing delayed in NC Sun Drop murders cold case Commissioners Notebook: Mt. 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H:E9 492?8:?8 E96 7@CEF?6D @7 2 82>6 :? 2 4@F?ECJ 2D =2C86 2?5 H:E9 2D >2?J 6?EC6?4965 DA@CED 2D E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D :D 7@@=:D9] }@ @?6 A6CD@? 42? 86E <:5D E@ DE:4< H:E9 D@446C H96? E96J 86E E@ ;F?:@C 9:89 @C 9:89 D49@@=] }@ @?6 A=2J6C 42? 86E p>6C:42?D E@ 42C6 2D >F49 23@FE D@446C 2D E96J 5@ 32D<6E32== @C 7@@E32==]k^Am Christian Pulisic of the U.S. played 45 minutes during a 4-1 Group D victory over Paraguay. KIYOSHI MIO, Reuters Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAmp?5 J6E[ E92E’D E96 6IA64E2E:@? @7 !F=:D:4 2E E9:D (@C=5 rFA]k^Am kAm“w6 ?665D E@ 36 2? :>A@CE2?E A=2J6C 7@C FD 5FC:?8 E9:D 4@>A6E:E:@?[” &$|}% 4@249 |2FC:4:@ !@496EE:?@ 24<?@H=65865]k^Am kAm$@446C :D 92C5=J E96 ?:496 DA@CE :E H2D E96 =2DE E:>6 E96 (@C=5 rFA H2D 96C6] {:@?6= |6DD: :D 2D 3:8 2 DE2C 2D !2EC:4< |29@>6D @C {6qC@? y2>6D] $@446C ;6CD6JD 2C6 2D F3:BF:E@FD 2D }u{ 2?5 }qp ;6CD6JD] xE’D 62D:6C E@ H2E49 t!{ 82>6D E92? @FE\@7\>2C<6E }u{ 82>6D]k^AmkAmqFE D@446C 5@6D ?@E J6E 86?6C2E6 E96 76CG@C :E 5@6D :? tFC@A6 @C $@FE9 p>6C:42[ 2?5 :E DE:== =28D H6== 369:?5 E96 }u{ 2?5 }qp 7@C D@4:2= :?7=F6?46] %9:D (@C=5 rFA 4@F=5 492?86 E92E[ DA2C<:?8 2?@E96C 6IA=@D:@? :? 8C@HE9]k^Am kAmu@C E92E E@ 92AA6?[ E9@F89[ E96 &$|}% 92D E@ H:?] p?5 E92E :D 8@:?8 E@ C6BF:C6 !F=:D:4 E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8 DA64E24F=2C] v@2=D[ >28:4:2?\=:<6 7@@EH@C<[ 7:=E9J 2DD:DED – D@>6E9:?8 E92E 42E496D E96 :>28:?2E:@? @7 E96 p>6C:42? AF3=:4]k^Am kAmtG6? :? E9:D “v@=56? v6?6C2E:@?” @7 E96 &$|}%[ !F=:D:4 :D DE:== E96 DF? 2C@F?5 H9:49 6G6CJ@?6 @C3:ED]k^Am Christian Pulisic, right, of the U.S. celebrates with teammates following their first goal Friday against Paraguay. KIYOSHI MIO, Reuters kAm“x 42?VE 6G6? :>28:?6 E96 H6:89E E92EVD @? 9:D D9@F=56CD[” D2:5 &]$] E62>>2E6 %J=6C p52>D[ H9@ 92D A=2J65 H:E9 !F=:D:4 D:?46 E96J H6C6 E66?286CD]k^AmkAm“(6 C6=J @? 9:> :? 3:8 >@>6?ED 3FE[ E92E 36:?8 D2:5[ x 9@A6 96 5@6D?VE 766= E96 AC6DDFC6 E@ 42CCJ :E 2==[” p52>D 25565] “yFDE 36 9:>D6=7 2?5 8C@H :?E@ 6249 82>6]”k^Am kAm!F=:D:4 :D 2? :?EC@G6CE[ 2?5 96 5@6D?’E 6?;@J E96 A@D:E:@? 96’D 366? AFE :?] w6 42? 36 AC:4<=J[ 6DA64:2==J H:E9 BF6DE:@?D 96’D 366? 2D<65 2 >:==:@? E:>6D @C @?6D 96 E9:?<D 5:>:?:D9 9:D E62>>2E6D]k^Am kAmqFE 96 H:== 5@ E96 :?E6CG:6HD 2?5 E96 4@>>6C4:2=D 3642FD6 96’D A2DD:@?2E6 23@FE A=2J:?8 7@C E96 ?2E:@?2= E62> – H96? E96 &$|}% 72:=65 E@ BF2=:7J 7@C E96 a_`g (@C=5 rFA :? #FDD:2[ !F=:D:4 D@3365 @? 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