Born
in the United States, made in Germany and now a Chelsea player - So how did
the country where he will be plying his trade next season play a part in
Christian Pulisic's development?
In the summer, Michael Hincks spoke to Mark Pulisic to discuss his son's
upbringing, parenting a burgeoning talent, knowing when he was ready to fly
the nest. And somewhat poetically, this coming-of-age story begins in a
little town outside Oxford...
Against the advice of teachers and professors, Wikipedia was a first port of
call when researching Pulisic's background. 'Considered by many to be the
top American soccer prospect', reads one line for Christian Mate Pulisic's
entry, but it's below his picture on the right-hand side where two years and
words stand out more than most - 2005-2006 Brackley Town.
This stay in Brackley - 22 miles from Oxford, though actually in
Northamptonshire - allowed his father Mark to attain part of his UEFA A
coaching licence at Lilleshall while wife Kelley was on a teaching exchange.
It was a year which also ignited seven-year-old Christian's love for
football, in which he played for Brackley Town, currently in the sixth-tier
of English football, and visited a whole host of stadiums.
He really got a feel for what passion the Premier League and English people
have. He remembers it to this day. For sure it had an impact in the short
time we were there
Mark Pulisic on his son's early Premier League experiences
"Of course we were football crazy," Mark told Sky Sports. "We travelled all
over and took in all the nuances of what English football is - the craziness
outside the stadiums, the chanting inside and signing the songs. He really
got a feel for what passion the Premier League and English people have. He
remembers it to this day. For sure it had an impact in the short time we
were there."
There were visits to Anfield, where mark recalls a 1-0 win for Liverpool
against Arsenal, a trip to Old Trafford for Manchester United against Spurs,
and then games at White Hart Lane and Craven Cottage too. "It was a good
time, good to look back on," Mark added.
Back in the USA
The Pulisics returned Stateside, and after a brief spell in Michigan,
Christian spent the majority of his youth career at PA Classics in
Pennsylvania. The club's director of coaching, Steve Klein, told Bleacher
Report in 2017 when it comes to football parents, you have those who are
overly critical, and those who take their kid for ice cream after the game.
"Mark and Kelley are ice cream parents," he said.
That certainly rings true during conversation with Mark: "I never put any
type of pressure on him at all, to perform at a certain standard or to have
to be the best - that was within him.
"I just made sure he wasn't over-analysing things too much, because he had a
drive and a passion that he was born with, so I just made sure he had fun. I
didn't talk so much about the game to him, I made sure he had other avenues,
to enjoy life and other sports, and to just love the game."
So why Dortmund?
To aid Christian's development, Mark would take him back across the pond to
train with European clubs - including at Barcelona's famed La Masia academy
- to help him acclimatise to what was soon to become the inevitable.
Christian was destined for a future in Europe, but where exactly remained up
for debate. At least until Dortmund came calling.
"It was kind of a perfect storm," Mark said. "He wasn't ready to go
anywhere, there were a lot of clubs I don't even remember when he was 13,
14, but he wasn't ready.
"At 15 we had a good talk, he was doing really well with the youth national
teams and then Dortmund came offering. It was kind of a perfect timing of
when he was ready to go over, and understanding the sacrifices he had to
make, and then Dortmund being the one that were extremely interested in his
talents.
"Going there with him for a week, visiting the sporting director, the youth
coaches, we met Jurgen Klopp at the time too. Christian felt comfortable and
they helped ease his anxiety a bit. We went back home, and he said if I'm
going to take this leap then I think Dortmund is the place."
Bundesliga breakthrough
Mark accompanied Christian in Dortmund for two years, taking up a coaching
role within the club's academy.
After joining as a 16-year-old in February 2015, Christian found himself
training with the first team come winter, having impressed in the youth
league when scoring six goals and assisting a further six in just 12 games
that half-season. A decent return for an attacking midfielder.
His senior debut came on January 30 the following year, where he was brought
on for the final 22 minutes against Ingolstadt at the Westfalenstadion. It
was a 2-0 win for Dortmund, and Christian - who came on at left wing - went
on to make eight further Bundesliga appearances, scoring twice, as well as
three showings in the Europa League against Porto, Tottenham and Liverpool.
2016 truly was the breakthrough year for Christian, for he also made his
senior international debut in March against Guatemala aged 17 - making him
the fifth-youngest American to represent his country - and going on to score
against Bolivia in May, becoming the youngest scorer in modern US national
team history in the process.
A star was born, and with Christian flourishing in the Dortmund first team
as he turned 18, Mark made the difficult decision to return to the USA.
"It was hard on two fronts," Mark said. "He was still 18 years old, a young
kid, and I had to be sure he was ready to have those lonely days and nights,
and make that next step in his maturation process of handling things on his
own.
"I felt at the time he was ready but as a parent you're always concerned
whether it was the necessary time to leave him there alone.
"On the other front, just the excitement of me being there and being able to
watch him play at Signal Iduna Park every weekend, and having that
enjoyment. It was difficult to leave, but I had to put my selfishness aside
and accept he has to make the next step without his parents. So I left, and
said this is going to be another step."
The going gets tough
Mark returned to the US and took up an assistant role at Rochester Rhinos
before joining Pittsburgh Riverhounds last year - a United Soccer League
club with ambitions of one day becoming an MLS franchise, though that
remains some way off.
Meanwhile, Christian went on to become a first-team regular at Dortmund, and
started 27 of 34 Bundesliga games in the 2017/18 campaign, scoring four
goals and assisting six as the club finished fourth - a whole 29 points
behind champions Bayern Munich, but just enough to seal a Champions League
spot on goal difference at Bayer Leverkusen's expense.
It has been a tumultuous period for Dortmund, with the club struggling in
Bayern's shadow after romping to a second-straight title just six years ago,
while coaches Thomas Tuchel, Peter Bosz and Peter Stoger have come and gone
since Klopp departed in 2015.
Christian himself has suffered dips in form, while he has also had to
overcome the disappointment surrounding USA's failure to reach the World
Cup. Their absence was labelled a "humiliation" by the American press.
"Let's be realistic, he's had some bumps these past six months," Mark said.
"He had a good spell with the national team, but after missing out on the
World Cup he had to recover from that. He's an emotional kid, it hurt him.
"At Dortmund he had a few different coaches, and a few dips in form. That
had nothing to do with anything other than his dipping in form - there were
no excuses.
"This is all part of it though. He's learning how to deal with all these
things, that's part of development - when things don't go right, how do you
handle it? How are you getting up for the next game or training session?
"The next stage of his development and wherever he goes is going to be how
he overcomes this past season, the ups and downs that he's had. Just to put
your head down and get back to work is what I've always instilled in him,
and I think he will. He'll find success if it's in his heart and what he
wants."
The next step
Speaking last summer, Mark Pulisic refused to rule out his son, who visited
White Hart Lane, Anfield and Old Trafford as a seven-year-old, coming full
circle and gracing the Premier League as a player.
"The Premier League is a league where he's always aspired to be in and play
in," he said. "As a player nowadays, there are so few players staying at one
club throughout a career, the chances of him moving to different clubs and
leagues is a high probability."
And now Christian's aspirations have been realised...
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