ORLANDO, Fla. — Less than a month has passed since Christian Pulisic's 19th birthday, but his status as the U.S. national team's talisman has been solidified for quite some time. At this point, the label "most talented player in U.S. history" is a staggering consensus.
Yet special players must step up in special moments, and there has been no more pressure-packed situation in Pulisic's young career than Friday's World Cup qualifier against Panama at Orlando City Stadium. With the Americans up against a nightmare scenario, facing their most desperate qualifier since the 2002 cycle, Pulisic rose to the occasion in spectacular fashion.