Top 99 Quotes & Sayings by Christian Pulisic
Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American athlete Christian Pulisic.
Last updated on September 17, 2024.
I played with the youth national team, I played in some CONCACAF games, and it's always physical; it's always intense.
I love watching the game, and I loved watching the World Cup.
I think it's good to have competition.
I was watching the 2014 World Cup, and I was playing with the U-17s, I think, at the time. I remember watching it in the summer, and I was like, 'You know what? It's a pretty crazy goal, but I want to be there in 2018.'
I always tried to bring confidence to the game.
I think it's normal to have competition once you get to the professional level.
I've always said that there's a bit of a different sense of pride when you're playing for your national team.
I put enough pressure on myself.
It's my biggest dream as a soccer player: I always wanted to play in the World Cup.
It's been a dream of mine to play for the U.S. national team.
The pressure I give myself from within is what drives me.
Being able to play at club level at a high level and then getting called into the national team, it's amazing.
I think it's important to make clear, you know, that the problem with American soccer... it isn't talent.
I try to focus on the next week and the next game every time, focus on what I'm doing right now and just to continue to improve every single day. If I do that, I should have a good future.
I like to think of myself as a tough kid.
I've already played against some of my biggest idols.
In the U.S. system, too often the best player on an under-17 team will be treated like a 'star' - not having to work for the ball, being the focus of the offense at all times, etc. - at a time when they should be having to fight tooth and nail for their spot.
I'm not super outgoing, but I think the biggest thing I can do is lead by example.
I think I've just been able to stay balanced, and my family has helped me through that. And with that, I just can continue to develop because I work hard every day.
It's definitely one of my biggest passions - I played every day after school with all my friends from high school in Pennsylvania. They weren't really soccer players, so we would play basketball all the time.
I was always very small, so growing up, I was always getting kicked around. It was something I kind of grew up with.
It's hard to always listen to your dad when you get older. You want to move on, but he has the knowledge. I think he did just the right amount of pushing me but also letting me do my thing, and just making sure that I always enjoyed the game, and I'm not feeling pressured.
It really does frustrate me when I watch MLS, and I see our best U-17 players - who, again, are so talented and so capable - being rostered... but then not being put on the field much to actually play. I watch that, and I just think about how I was given a chance... a real chance... and it changed my life.
If you want to be at the highest level, then you have to really work hard every day.
If I can inspire kids to do what I do - want to become professional soccer players - then I think that that's everything I want to do.
I set my own personal goals; I'm not playing to satisfy fans.
I think any kid wants to get on the field as much as he can.
Just knowing that people are going to the game or something with your jersey on and supporting you is really exciting and was a dream of mine. Every time I see it at Dortmund, at games, it's still exciting and gets you really excited to play.
I can jump high; I can dunk - nobody really believes that I can.
I always had a soccer ball with me. I could never stop. As young as I can remember, my dad was always throwing a soccer ball at me.
Lionel Messi, getting to meet him, you're a little star-struck in the beginning, of course.
When it comes to cup competitions and the Champions League, it's always about going as far as we can. Getting out of the group stage is the first objective, then after that, we will see.
I was always, you know, a decent player growing up. And yes, I was born with a certain amount of so-called 'natural ability.' But I also worked and sacrificed a lot to try to maximize what I was born with - which I think is important to point out.
I was very young, but I just remember going to school every day in England, which I didn't enjoy. Every day, as soon as the bell would ring, we would go out and be on this little - it looked like a basketball court, but it was a soccer court with goals and a hard floor.
I think, with soccer, you never really know what's going to happen in your career - that's the beauty of it.
Obviously, making my debut at such a young age, people put a lot of pressure on you.
Luckily, I've just had a lot of people around me that have helped me through it because I wouldn't even be close to where I am if I didn't have the support system I do. I wouldn't be able to do it on my own.
I've always been hard on myself, so I expect so much out of myself that that pressure can be inspiring at time.
In my hometown, people I didn't even know started to recognize me: 'Oh, you're that kid that's doing well over there in Europe and with the national team!'
I learned a lot in the Bundesliga, just playing with these very physical players, playing quickly.
Of course I always dream big, but I don't put a plan out for myself.
It was definitely tough being the coach's son.
It's really exciting and pretty cool to see your own face on a playing card.
I just try to do the best I can for myself and the people around me.
When I was a kid, I collected a lot of cards from all different sports.
I'm trying to become just more clinical in every situation, whether it's the final pass, the final shot, or whatever it is.
A lot of people have asked me what's it like being an American player in Europe. 'Do you have to earn more respect because you're American?' But I don't think it's like that at all. I think if you're good, you're good. They don't care where you're from or anything like that.
I'm not a prodigy - or a 'wonderboy,' as some have put it.
I feel like people put pressure on me, and that makes me put pressure on myself, which isn't needed.
I played one year of competitive basketball, actually. I don't remember what grade I was in, maybe middle school or something. I was the point guard - I was the smallest one always. I did my best; I thought I did pretty good. I was always a little bit better at soccer, so I had to make the decision.
I've always expected a lot out of myself, and it can be a good quality. But it can be bad at times, too.
I just try to show no fear when I go on the field every time.
The World Cup is as big as it gets.
It's always tough when you see a good player leave. It's not easy.
I would say the youth systems in Germany have impressed me the most and how they grow their youth players into full professionals.
Sometimes you have to take a risk if you want great things to happen.
LeBron James has always been the biggest one - I just love to watch him. I'm a big fan, and he's a big inspiration of mine.
I think what we really want to do is to create a real soccer nation. We want to have kids really wanting to play the sport.
The expectations some Americans put on me is too much, is what I would say. But I don't take it that way. I know no one means harm to me like that or wanting to put too much pressure on me.
I'm just trying to live in the moment and do the best I can for myself and for my teammates, and that's all I can really focus on.
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