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 &$|}% 72==D 7=2E[ @C !F=:D:4 :D 2 ?@?724E@C[ E96 3FC56? H:== 72== @? 9:D D9@F=56CD[ @?6 >@C6 2E9=6E6 H9@D6 9JA6 AC@G65 E@ 36 8C62E6C E92? 9:D C62=:EJ]k^Am People are also reading… Smith Mountain Lake businesses feel the impact of low lake levels Roanoke police investigating kennel, urge owners to remove dogs 18-year-old Rocky Mount woman arrested after fatal stabbing High heat, low lake levels made for a quiet Fourth at Smith Mountain Lake Danny Rocco helping read the pulse of Virginia Tech football No-wake zones around Independence Day fireworks at Smith Mountain Lake Former assistant principal takes lead role at Franklin County High School Emmy snubs! Jeremy Allen White, 'Stranger Things' missed by 2026 noms Pirate Days returns next weekend at a new location amid drought 'Heat distress' spurred investigation into City Dogs kennel by Roanoke police Orange County announces Independence Day facility closures Bird-themed celebration this month at Smith Mountain Lake State Park After impersonating police to confront Rocky Mount mayor, man gets jail time Miss Virginia's Teen winner, from Rocky Mount, proud to represent community Virginia’s new liquor law reshapes rules for Richmond bar-restaurants kAm%96 &]$] >6? 3682? A=2J uC:52J H:E9 2 c\` G:4E@CJ @G6C !2C28F2J H:E9 !F=:D:4 A:4<:?8 FA 2? 2DD:DE]k^AmkAm“%96C6VD D@ >2?J 8@@5 A=2J6CD 2C@F?5 >6[ x 86?F:?6=J 5@?VE 766= =:<6 x 92G6 E@ 5@ 2?JE9:?8 @? >J @H?[” !F=:D:4 D2:5 367@C6 EC2:?:?8 @? %9FCD52J] “xV> 8@:?8 E@ 8:G6 E96 36DE x 42?] x H2?E E@ 96=A E96 E62>]k^Am kAm“~7 4@FCD6[ E96J 6IA64E 2 =@E @FE @7 >6[” 96 25565[ “qFE H:E9 E96 8FJD E92E x 92G6 2C@F?5 >6[ 9@?6DE=J[ :E >2<6D :E 2 =@E 62D:6C 7@C >6]”k^Am kAm|2<:?8 !F=:D:4 36 E96 DE2?52C5\362C6C 7@C E96 82>6 :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D H2D ?6G6C 72:C] yFDE 2D :E H2D?’E 72:C E@ E9CFDE {2?5@? s@?@G2? :?E@ 2 D:>:=2C DA@E=:89E]k^Am kAm*6D[ !F=:D:4 :D :?D2?6=J E2=6?E65] *@F 5@?’E 8@ E@ tFC@A6 367@C6 J@F 42? 5C:G6 2?5 82C?6C Sa_ >:==:@?\A=FD EC2?D76C 766D :7 J@F’C6 ?@E] w6’D 2=D@ 2EEC24E:G6[ H:E9 2 492C>:?8 324< DE@CJ] W*@F’== 962C :E >6?E:@?65 2 E:>6 @C `a E92E !F=:D:4 :D 7C@> w6CD96J[ !6??DJ=G2?:2]Xk^Am kAmqFE E2D<:?8 @?6 A6CD@? 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 $E2E6D :D 7@@=:D9] }@ @?6 A6CD@? 42? 86E <:5D E@ DE:4< H:E9 D@446C H96? E96J 86E E@ ;F?:@C 9:89 @C 9:89 D49@@=] }@ @?6 A=2J6C 42? 86E p>6C:42?D E@ 42C6 2D >F49 23@FE D@446C 2D E96J 5@ 32D<6E32== @C 7@@E32==]k^Am Christian Pulisic of the U.S. played 45 minutes during a 4-1 Group D victory over Paraguay. KIYOSHI MIO, Reuters kAmp?5 J6E[ E92E’D E96 6IA64E2E:@? @7 !F=:D:4 2E E9:D (@C=5 rFA]k^Am kAm“w6 ?665D E@ 36 2? :>A@CE2?E A=2J6C 7@C FD 5FC:?8 E9:D 4@>A6E:E:@?[” &$|}% 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 &$|}% 72:=65 E@ BF2=:7J 7@C E96 a_`g (@C=5 rFA :? #FDD:2[ !F=:D:4 D@3365 @? E96 7:6=5 – 2?5 96 H2?ED E96 82>6 96 =@G6D E@ 8C@H :? 9:D @H? 4@F?ECJ]k^AmkAm“w2G:?8 8@@5 8FJD 2C@F?5 >6[ x ECFDE E96> 2 =@E] %96J 96=A >6[ E96J DFAA@CE >6] %96J 5@?VE AFE 2?J AC6DDFC6 @? >6[” !F=:D:4 D2:5] “x 766= =:<6 :EVD 2 C62==J 8@@5 5J?2>:4 E92E H6 92G6]”k^Am kAm!F=:D:4’D E62>>2E6D 2?5 A6@A=6 H9@ <?@H D@446C <?@H 96’D 2 86?6C2E:@?2= E2=6?E H9@ 92D 492?865 E96 H2J E96 C6DE @7 E96 H@C=5 =@@<D 2E A=2J6CD 7C@> E96 &]$] qFE E@ >2?J :? E9:D 4@F?ECJ[ !F=:D:4 DE:== 92D E@ AC@G6 9:>D6=7]k^Am kAmw6’D 8@E E96 ?6IE >@?E9 E@ 86E :E 5@?6]k^Am 0 comments Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Is Folarin Balogun playing Monday? How USMNT star became available vs Belgium Here's what to know about Balogun's status and more. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Watch Now: Related Video James Franklin has been loading up during this recruiting class US: Colorful US supporters build atmosphere before Bosnia match. US: Colorful US supporters build atmosphere before Bosnia match. Grizzlies Deal Morant To Trail Blazers For Grant & Murray Grizzlies Deal Morant To Trail Blazers For Grant & Murray World Cup watch parties bringing generations together World Cup watch parties bringing generations together
Is Folarin Balogun playing Monday? How USMNT star became available vs Belgium Here's what to know about Balogun's status and more.