Their friendship began a dozen years ago while riding a team bus to U.S. youth national soccer training near Los Angeles.
“I used to sit behind him and squirt air and a little bit of water into his ear,” said the mischievous midfielder, Weston McKennie.
McKennie was scared of elevators, so after practice, his new pal Christian Pulisic accompanied him up several flights of hotel stairs.
They stuck gum on a palm tree, wondering if the wad would still be there next time they were in camp. (It was.)
“Yeah, that is exactly how it started, him being as annoying as he is and me just putting up with it,” Pulisic said, smiling.