OT: American Soccer Starlet named #11 best player under 21 in the world

[MomentInTheSun]

https://www.lequipe.fr/Top/Football/top-50-foot-u21/12/

Maybe some care, and maybe some don't. But this kid is already 'dominating' a lot for his age. And some of the guys that just ahead of him on that list have already been sold to other clubs for over a 100 million euros.

Pulisic has a super bright future and COULD possibly be sold to a huge club here soon for a record fee just because he's American.

Pretty cool though. No other American player has ever been close to being ranked in this type of distinguished company.

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

We just need to get more dads hired on to Bundesliga staffs and bring their kids up in that environment.

 

[MomentInTheSun]

Bump. Kid is bossing it right now in a crazy important World Cup qualifier with a goal and an assist in the first half

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

Bump. Kid is bossing it right now in a crazy important World Cup qualifier with a goal and an assist in the first half

Panama had no answers for him other than dirty, cheap CONCACAF tactics. The kid is just ridiculous. Jozy and Wood played really well too.

 

[ShenaniganZ]

Panama had no answers for him other than dirty, cheap CONCACAF tactics. The kid is just ridiculous. Jozy and Wood played really well too.

I missed the game but Jozy is a beast when he's not being lazy.

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

I missed the game but Jozy is a beast when he's not being lazy.

Jozy set up Pulisic's goal to open the match. Wood flicked on a goal kick, Jozy one touched it to the kid, and the kid finished superbly. Then he cleaned up a great cross from Pulisic. And scored his second on a nofty little chip from the penalty spot that Wood won.

And Jozy was aggressive and pretty active defensively tonight.

 

[ShenaniganZ]

Jozy set up Pulisic's goal to open the match. Wood flicked on a goal kick, Jozy one touched it to the kid, and the kid finished superbly. Then he cleaned up a great cross from Pulisic. And scored his second on a nofty little chip from the penalty spot that Wood won.

And Jozy was aggressive and pretty active defensively tonight.

Damn hate that I missed it. Thanks for the clips, I'll catch a replay of it. Love me some Altidore when he's playing well and has his touch.

 

[Slippin Jimmy]

Never watched an entire futbol game (match?) in my life, but I have a question for you guys. Will the US win a World Cup in my lifetime? Say in the next 30-35 years? I can't get into the sport, but I usually try to follow national squads that have a chance to win something significant...

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

Never watched an entire futbol game (match?) in my life, but I have a question for you guys. Will the US win a World Cup in my lifetime? Say in the next 30-35 years? I can't get into the sport, but I usually try to follow national squads that have a chance to win something significant...

I'd say it's doubtful.

 

[Slippin Jimmy]

I'd say it's doubtful.

I figured. Just thought with the growing popularity here we could potentially have a shot 20 years down the road or something...

 

[Dale Yeah]

I figured. Just thought with the growing popularity here we could potentially have a shot 20 years down the road or something...

It's grown a ton but it's still not close to the other sports popularity wise. We have our top athletes choosing to play football basketball and baseball. Pretty much every other country has soccer #1. I'm honestly surprised we compete as well as we do.

I will say though, and I may have some disagreement on this. Watch over the next 10-15 years as football gets more watered down with the player safety and concussion protocols. You'll see a ton of parents pushing their kids towards different sport like maybe a soccer. All it's gonna do is grow.

 

[MomentInTheSun]

Never watched an entire futbol game (match?) in my life, but I have a question for you guys. Will the US win a World Cup in my lifetime? Say in the next 30-35 years? I can't get into the sport, but I usually try to follow national squads that have a chance to win something significant...

It’s possible but doubtful. Even massive footballing countries go through 30 plus year droughts of winning one. England hasn’t won one (and they’ve only ever won just one) since WW2.

Soccer development and education is totally different now though in the United States in a good way. I think the US will be extremely competitive in 15 years and continue to be that way for a very long time

 

[Boytano]

so he's our only 5-star?

 

[MomentInTheSun]

so he's our only 5-star?

Pretty much. John Brooks is highly rated 4 star if we wanna use that analogy.

 

[jeramye]

It’s possible but doubtful. Even massive footballing countries go through 30 plus year droughts of winning one. England hasn’t won one (and they’ve only ever won just one) since WW2.

Soccer development and education is totally different now though in the United States in a good way. I think the US will be extremely competitive in 15 years and continue to be that way for a very long time

Yeah winning a WC is like 12 steps away. First we have to get to the point we're truly competitive with the top 10 or so, not just out working them and playing bunker defense to win a few matches here and there.

I do think we'll make big steps in the next 15 years. I helped with youth soccer when I was in college and I help run a league now. Youth soccer in a place like Springville, AL where 3000 people live and it's borderline rural is still really, really good by comparison to what the best youth soccer in the state used to be. I see kids doing things at 9-10 years of age that we didn't do till high school, using concepts and ball skills that we never would have thought of at that age and that you didn't see kids doing back around 1995-2000. It's gonna take time for that to show up, but it's a better system now and kids are getting hooked on it instead of some other sports a bit more frequently too. There are more Pulisic's coming. They are just 10 years or so away.

 

[MomentInTheSun]

Yeah winning a WC is like 12 steps away. First we have to get to the point we're truly competitive with the top 10 or so, not just out working them and playing bunker defense to win a few matches here and there.

I do think we'll make big steps in the next 15 years. I helped with youth soccer when I was in college and I help run a league now. Youth soccer in a place like Springville, AL where 3000 people live and it's borderline rural is still really, really good by comparison to what the best youth soccer in the state used to be. I see kids doing things at 9-10 years of age that we didn't do till high school, using concepts and ball skills that we never would have thought of at that age and that you didn't see kids doing back around 1995-2000. It's gonna take time for that to show up, but it's a better system now and kids are getting hooked on it instead of some other sports a bit more frequently too. There are more Pulisic's coming. They are just 10 years or so away.

Yeah. During the broadcast on Friday, the announcers casually dropped that the US soccer federation has a 100 million dollar surplus. It’s pretty nuts how much money they’re generating and they’re going to continue to invest it.

When Pulisic signs for a mega club like either United or Chelsea in a year or two, he honestly could become one of the top ten most recognizable US sports figures in the world

 

[Van Gorstache]

If we can put a man on the moon in a little more than a decade after creating NASA, we should be able to win a darn soccer tournament in my lifetime.

 

[jeramye]

Yeah. During the broadcast on Friday, the announcers casually dropped that the US soccer federation has a 100 million dollar surplus. It’s pretty nuts how much money they’re generating and they’re going to continue to invest it.

When Pulisic signs for a mega club like either United or Chelsea in a year or two, he honestly could become one of the top ten most recognizable US sports figures in the world

I hope he goes to Juve/Barca/Madrid. The Spurs fan in me can't have him at those 2 clubs you mentioned

 

[MomentInTheSun]

I hope he goes to Juve/Barca/Madrid. The Spurs fan in me can't have him at those 2 clubs you mentioned

Juve can’t afford him nor would any sane agent let him go there either. Assuming he continues on his trajectory, he’s going to United, City, or Chelsea. But most likely United. Ed Woodward won’t miss the chance to own United States’ casual soccer fandom for ten years

 

[ShenaniganZ]

Juve can’t afford him nor would any sane agent let him go there either. Assuming he continues on his trajectory, he’s going to United, City, or Chelsea. But most likely United. Ed Woodward won’t miss the chance to own United States’ casual soccer fandom for ten years

Would be amazing to see him play for my Red Devils.

 

[ac_tiger41]

This thread is informative and all, but 15-yard penalty for using the word "starlet" to describe a male soccer phenom.

Twice I've been deluded of late. First Fields wears an AU t-shirt under his pads and then this.

 

[Boytano]

Would be amazing to see him play for my Red Devils.

kid is Chelsea all the way...

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

I figured. Just thought with the growing popularity here we could potentially have a shot 20 years down the road or something...

Depending on the fallout from last night's loss, I might change my opinion on this. If done right and rebuilt with the right focus and mission, I'd say it's possible. Still not likely but possibly an upgrade.

 

[MomentInTheSun]

What type of fallout are people actually anticipating? I’m not going to, but you could argue that it’s a good thing that the US lost just like you could argue it’d be better overall for AU’s program if Gus lost his remaining games.

I think there’s going to be a lot of restructuring going on.

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

What type of fallout are people actually anticipating? I’m not going to, but you could argue that it’s a good thing that the US lost just like you could argue it’d be better overall for AU’s program if Gus lost his remaining games.

I think there’s going to be a lot of restructuring going on.

If change is done correctly, I definitely think losing to TnT could be the best outcome for long-term improvement and success of the program. Restructure from the very top. The leadership has to change. How we handle training and development and youth systems has to change. The mission and goal of what this program can and wants to be has to change. The demands on the media and its coverage has to change. The lockstep marriage to MLS has to change. MLS itself has to change.

Twellman was right last night. There is no pressure on this team. Pressure has to come. Expectations need to be much higher. More people need to be held accountable. There is more passion and interest (albeit negative right now) about this USMNT than I've seen in a while.

We have the face of the program in the ranks now. We have to use him and promote him and build around him. Pulisic is as good a chance to gain supporters as we've probably ever had. One of the commentators on Sportscenter, Buccigross, said last night that he isn't a big soccer fan but that he tunes in and watches this kid just to see what he's going to do. We have to take advantage of that.

 

[ShenaniganZ]

City looked good today. Liverpool and United with a draw. Crystal Palace beat Chelsea??? Wth