Fútbol with Grant Wahl

Fútbol with Grant Wahl

Share this post

Fútbol with Grant Wahl
Fútbol with Grant Wahl
USMNT World Cup Daily, Day 3
World Cup 2022

USMNT World Cup Daily, Day 3

Christian Pulisic speaks, Matt Turner tells his injury story and Gio Reyna blanches at the U.S.'s 10 pm local kickoff times

Grant Wahl's avatar
Grant Wahl
Nov 16, 2022
∙ Paid
38

Share this post

Fútbol with Grant Wahl
Fútbol with Grant Wahl
USMNT World Cup Daily, Day 3
14
Share
Christian Pulisic is on the side of a building here in Doha (Photo by Mike Hewitt - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

DOHA, Qatar — My Uber driver from Pakistan was fired up as he dropped me off at our destination. I had just informed him that we were outside the training site for the U.S. World Cup team, and he kept saying the same thing over and over.

“You mean Pulisic is right in there?!?” he said, pointing at the modest Al Gharafa Stadium. “Pulisic is here?”

It hit me that the U.S. has probably never had a soccer player until Christian Pulisic who would get a Pakistani driver in Qatar excited over his presence being near. Maybe Tim Howard during his Manchester United days? Maybe? 

Pulisic, 24, has won a Champions League with Chelsea, and he is hardly the only important player on this U.S. team, the youngest in the World Cup. But he is the biggest U.S. male star in the global game. And when he speaks to the media, as he did today, five days before the U.S. World Cup opener against Wales, he gets treated like it, with plenty of questions about playing in his first World Cup.


GrantWahl.com is reader-supported. Free and paid subscriptions are available. This is how I make a living, and quality journalism and traveling to Qatar require resources. The best way to support me and my work is by taking out a paid subscription now.

Upgrade to Paid

Give a gift subscription


This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Grant Wahl
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share