Everybody can see Pulisic is fantastic - Diskerud

Former U.S. national team midfielder Mix Diskerud sees plenty of potential in Christian Pulisic, the recent Chelsea signing who is the USA’s undisputed star name at the Gold Cup this summer.  

Pulisic has impressed at the tournament so far, inspiring the USMNT to three wins out of three in Group D.

He particularly shone in matchday two, posting a goal and two assists in the 6-0 rout of Trinidad and Tobago.

It was a star showing from the 20-year-old, who is the USA’s leading man in official competition for the first time this summer, and Diskerud is of the belief that it’s easy to spot his quality on the pitch.  

“He’s a fantastic player, I think everybody who likes soccer can see that he is,” he told Goal. “If he keeps on performing on the level that he does these days, both at club and international level, I can’t see why he shouldn’t be deserving of all kind of praise.” 

Pulisic has been hailed in some American media outlets as the best player the country has ever produced, but Diskerud is not of the mind to hand him that label, claiming that in a team sport it’s always difficult to pick one great player over another.  

“In my book there is no such thing as ‘greatest of all time’,” he said. “Especially not in a team sport.  

“From my generation, we have had Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey and Cobi Jones. 

“I am just worthy of naming them - not of rating them. They were all pieces we needed and luckily got. And for that all sport-loving Americans should be grateful.” 

Diskerud was part of the USA’s Gold Cup-winning side in 2013, coming on 23 minutes into the final to replace an injured Stuart Holden.  

The USA has won the competition just once since then, taking the title in the last edition of the regional tournament in 2017.  

The defending champions, with Pulisic leading the charge, will be hoping to continue their push for another title on Sunday when they face Curacao in Philadelphia in the quarterfinals.