The third goal for the U.S. Men’s National Team in their Copa America opener against Bolivia — the one that might have allowed Christian Pulisic a well-earned 10 or 15-minute breather — was as elusive as a unicorn.
By the time substitute striker Ricardo Pepi missed two point-blank chances in the 90th minute, it was academic. The USMNT were already on their way to a victory, and Pulisic — their superstar and captain — was playing the full 90. The only true disappointment in an otherwise solid 2-0 win, securing the crucial three points against the world’s 84th-ranked team.
Pulisic has two much tougher matches looming in the next nine days. First up is No. 43 Panama in Atlanta on Thursday, followed by a showdown with No. 14 Uruguay in Kansas City on Monday to wrap up Group C play. The Americans will need Pulisic firing on all cylinders for these games.
Because when Pulisic is at his best, he’s not just the top player on the USMNT — he might just be the best player this country has ever seen.
Christian Pulisic goal, assist vs. Bolivia at Copa America 2024
Christian Pulisic was involved in both of the first-half goals that sealed the victory at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. He opened the scoring in the third minute with a bit of set-piece sorcery. Tricking Bolivia with a short corner kick, Pulisic drove towards the left edge of the box and unleashed a spectacular, bending shot into the upper right corner. He credited this clever play to set-piece coach Gianni Vio during his celebration.
Bolivia’s plan to bunker down and either scrape out a draw or sneak a win on the counter was dismantled within 270 seconds. Their faint hopes were completely dashed just before halftime when Pulisic sliced through the center of their defense and set up Folarin Balogun, who scored from a similar spot. While Balogun’s goal didn’t have the same pyrotechnics as Pulisic’s, it was just as effective, leaving Bolivia with little chance of a comeback.
“It was huge for us to start like this — and to start like this in the game, to get the early goal,” Pulisic told TUDN. “We should bring some momentum into the next game, because we have some tough games ahead of us.”
Christian Pulisic’s Record with USMNT
Pulisic’s goal marked the 30th of his career, tying him with U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Brian McBride for fifth place on the USMNT career scoring list. Remarkably, Pulisic reached this milestone at 25 years and 279 days old, in just his 69th international appearance. For comparison, Landon Donovan, one of the all-time greats, reached 30 goals at 25 years and 21 days but needed 87 caps to do so.
Pulisic’s assist on Balogun’s goal bumped him to seventh on the USMNT career assists list. Although catching Donovan’s 58 assists or Michael Bradley’s 23 might be a long shot, Pulisic has already set a record by notching assists in five different competitions. Performances like Sunday’s continue to bolster his case as the greatest player in USMNT history.
Christian Pulisic’s Club and National Team Career
When it comes to the nation’s most accomplished men’s player, Pulisic’s resume speaks volumes. He played a crucial role in Chelsea’s 2021 UEFA Champions League triumph, scoring the decisive goal in the semifinal against Real Madrid and assisting in the clincher. He has also shined in the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.
Pulisic won the DFB-Pokal with Dortmund and was named to Serie A’s Team of the Season by Opta in his first year at Milan. However, in the context of the USMNT and the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the pressing question is whether Pulisic has surpassed Donovan as the national team’s best.
Both players have their signature World Cup moments. Donovan’s dramatic, last-gasp goal against Algeria in 2010 remains iconic, propelling the U.S. from the brink of elimination to group winners. Pulisic’s moment came with significant personal sacrifice: his goal against Iran in 2022, which advanced the U.S. out of their group, left him injured after colliding with the goalkeeper.
Donovan has the advantage in sheer volume of appearances and impact. He became the youngest American to reach 100 caps and appeared in three World Cups. Pulisic, hampered by injuries and a global pandemic that reduced the number of games, has missed more opportunities. The USMNT played 16 more games in Donovan’s first nine seasons compared to Pulisic’s, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted play in 2020.
Given a full season and a typical World Cup qualifying process, how many more goals would Pulisic have? He scored five goals in 10 qualifiers despite the compressed schedule forcing coach Gregg Berhalter to frequently rotate his lineups.
Donovan set a high bar with his performances for the USMNT, but no one has matched Pulisic’s achievements in so few opportunities. As Pulisic continues to add to his legacy, it might not be long before this debate is settled in his favor.
