Make no mistake, Christian Pulisic is a key part of the USMNT's hopes this summer

Forward Christian Pulisic was there when the United States' men's national team failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. That served as the first time in almost 30 years in which the Americans were absent from football's biggest showcase.

He was there when the United States defeated Mexico 3-2 in the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Final.

And he was there when a new generation of USMNT stars took the pitch in Qatar almost four years ago. That tournament not only saw the Americans hold England to a 0-0 draw, but it also saw them finish second in their group and earn a knockout stage encounter with the Netherlands.

Now, Pulisic is set to appear in his second World Cup when his USMNT side welcomes the world this June. He'll look to help get his team back to the knockouts when they take on Paraguay, Türkiye, and Australia in Group D action.

Christian Pulisic's team history

Like several big-name footballers like Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham and Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, Pulisic got his start with Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.

While it might not necessarily translate to league success, Dortmund has established itself as a big-name club in German football by investing in players with significant potential, developing them, and then selling them in the transfer market. Other clubs like Premier League side Brighton have found success with this method in the past.

Transfer strategy aside, Pulisic scored 13 goals across 90 Bundesliga appearances during his time at Dortmund. He also scored three goals across eight appearances in the DFB-Pokal, Germany's domestic cup tournament, while winning the competition in 2017. He also appeared in the 2017 DFB Supercup against Bayern Munich.

After his four years at Dortmund, Pulisic would join Premier League side Chelsea prior to the 2019-20 season. He would score 20 goals across 98 Premier League appearances while also making a combined 18 appearances in England's two domestic cup tournaments, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup. He also made 26 European appearances, scoring five goals over that timeframe.

Pulisic also played a role in Chelsea's Champions League triumph in 2021, in addition to their UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup triumphs later that year.

Since moving to Serie A side AC Milan, Pulisic has established himself as more of a goalscorer, though he hasn't been able to find the level of silverware that he did at Chelsea. Through 95 Serie A appearances, Pulisic has recorded 31 goals; he also scored seven goals through 21 European appearances with the Italian club.

Pulisic might be "the LeBron James of soccer", but any USMNT "Big Three" runs through him

One can argue that Pulisic's biggest moment as a member of the USMNT was the goal that put the Americans ahead of Iran in their final group stage game back in 2022, ultimately sending them to the knockout stage. He would also record two assists during that same World Cup; one was to Marseille winger Timothy Weah for the Americans' lone goal against Wales, while the second set up Coventry City winger Haji Wright to score their lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the last sixteen.

But expectations are surely going to be far higher for this American side at their home World Cup. Many outlets are giving the Americans a decent chance of repeating their performance in 2022 even in an expanded World Cup format, while a first-place finish in Group D could easily put the United States in position to go further than the last sixteen.

If the USMNT is to match or exceed those expectations, Pulisic will need to be at the top of his game once again in both the goalscoring and assist departments. Whether it's Wright, Weah, or even Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, Pulisic is going to be key in ensuring that manager Mauricio Pochettino is capable of constructing the best possible attack.

If Pochettino can build an attack that runs through an effective Pulisic, the Americans should be able to put forth a strong performance at their home World Cup.