Rokas Pukstas: The USMNT's rising star emerging as the Croatian league's next superstar export

There haven't been many superstar soccer players from the state of Oklahoma, but there also haven't been many soccer superstars that had Pukstas' upbringing. The son of Lithuanian Olympian marathon runner, Mindaugus Pukstas, the young midfielder was seemingly born to be an athlete.

While his father thrived as a runner, though, Pukstas' talents were directed toward soccer and, from an early age, he made waves across the American game. After spending time with Sporting KC's academy, Pukstas joined the Barcelona resident Academy in 2020, playing alongside fellow American starlets Diego Luna and Caden Clark. He didn't last long there, though, as the Coronavirus pandemic hastened an exit that, given his skillset, was always inevitable.

By November of 2020, Pukstas made the leap to Europe, heading to Croatia to join Hajduk Split.

It took some time for Pukstas to break through with Hajduk Split but, once it did happen, it felt like there was no going back. After a year-and-a-half in the youth system, Pukstas made his debut on April 22, 2022, featuring in a 2-1 win over Hrvatski Dragovaljac.

As the 2022-23 season began, Pukstas very quickly became a regular in the first-team squad while also helping the club's U-19s make a run to the final of the UEFA Youth League. In total, he featured in 27 senior matches for the club during that 2022-23 season, scoring four goals in league play.

The biggest moments, though, came in the Croatian Cup, with Pukstas starting all five matches as Split won the trophy with a 2-0 win over HNK Sibenik in the final.

Already in the USYNT pipeline, Pukstas was then called up to the U-20 World Cup, despite Split keeping hold of him during the group stage due to that Croatian Cup run. Still, even with his delayed start, he was deemed too important to leave out, with Pukstas then joining up for the knockout round.

Unfortunately, it lasted just two appearances before the U.S. was knocked out against Uruguay, but he did score a goal in the Round of 16 win against New Zealand to make his mark during what ultimately turned out to be a World Cup cameo.

Still, the message was loud and clear: U.S. Soccer is very high on Pukstas, and that brief U-20 World Cup run will, hopefully, be just one of several international tournaments for the midfielder before long.

After his big breakthrough last season, Pukstas hasn't slowed down during the current campaign despite a knee injury that kept him out for the start of the season. Through just nine games since that injury, he already has three goals from the midfield and he's helped his side to the top of the league.

His rise has caught the eyes of some European giants, with Arsenal among the clubs linked. Fabrizio Romano reported, though, that clubs in Germany were pushing heavily for Pukstas' signature with the Bundesliga looking like his most likely next destination.

Pukstas temporarily put the transfer rumors to bed by signing a new contract recently that will keep him with the club through 2027. The most likely scenario, though, is that he never sees the end of that contract as his new deal will do little to deter interest from some major suitors going forward.

A player who can play as a No.8 or as more of an attacking midfielder, Pukstas has shown he has goals in his game no matter how high up the field he's played.

With seven goals to his name in just 31 league matches for Split, Pukstas has had no problem getting forward and contributing. It is the Croatian League, sure, which isn't one recognized among the elite in Europe, but it's still a league that produced much of the top talent that has kept the country's national team right up there with the very best through the last two World Cups.

It's not just the goals, though, as Pukstas has also provided plenty of assists, too. His workrate is also instantly noticeable, with his father's marathon background perhaps offering a better understanding of the type of engine the young midfielder could have.

In terms of goalscoring, Pukstas is right near the top in every metric, despite playing in a midfield position, while his shooting accuracy is also right near the top of the Croatian league. Defensively, too, he's done surpisingly well for a player that is still very much developing on that side of the ball.

The big question is where Pukstas will end up in the long-term; is he more of a No.8 or a No.10 as his career continues on?

To be more of a No.10, Pukstas will need to continue to refine his skills in the final third. The initial signs are good, as evidenced by the goal numbers, but every young player could use a bit of development when it comes to decision-making. He'll need to continue to create for himself and others if he hopes to make it as a more attacking midfielder when that move does come. Putting up numbers in Croatia is a start, but the Premier League or Bundesliga will be a different animal

Generally, though, Pukstas will need to be just a bit crisper when on the ball. This season, he's in the 11th percentile for Expected Assists, the 22nd percentile for passes per 90 and the 16th percentile for Dribble Success Rate. That won't cut it at the next level and he will need to be smarter when he does have the ball at his feet.

If he wants to slot in as a No.8, though, there will be the obvious need to add a bit more bite and intelligence to his game. That, of course, comes with time, and, at 19, that's on his side.

The comparisons have been flying around online, and, to be fair, they're not bad. Media in Europe have compared Pukstas to Bayern Munich legend Muller, a player who has defined a midfield position that he's called his own.

Muller has famously innovated the raumdeuter, or space invader, position throughout his career. He's not the quickest, sharpest, or most creative, but Muller is among the smartest to play this game. His composure and awareness have made him an elite player, and Pukstas could learn plenty from watching how Muller manipulates time and space.

Pukstas has also drawn comparisons to RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo, who also kickstarted his career in the Croatian League. His coach, Ivan Leko, sees Pukstas developing in a way similar to several different legendary midfielders.

"He can’t wait for training," he said back in February. "He absorbs information and is open. He has a lot of quality and he can’t wait to progress. He can be an example. The way he trains, he lives for it. It is no coincidence that he scored two goals in Varazdin… He is a box-to-box player, something like [Frank] Lampard, [Steven] Gerrard, or [Mario] Pasalic."

American soccer will be keeping an eye on the transfer rumors, although Pukstas' decision to sign a new deal seems to be an indication that he'll stay in Croatia for a least a little while longer. Even so, the fact that Arsenal are watching is a sign that he is doing something right. If that keeps up, who knows which clubs will be next.

Internationally, Pukstas will have one eye on a senior call-up. The 2024 schedule will be an interesting one, as all roads will be leading to the Copa America. It may be tough for him to make a run at that tournament with so few international breaks between now and the summer, but stranger things have happened.

The Copa America isn't the only major tournament on the horizon, though. Pukstas could very well follow in his father's footsteps by becoming an Olympian himself as he will almost certainly be in the mix for the U.S. U-23s. Competition for that Olympic roster will be tight, and Pukstas would be one of the youngest players in the mix, but he's certainly someone who will be considered for a spot.

If that does happen, it will be a huge moment for Pukstas, as it will all come full circle for his family. The Olympics, though, could also be the next springboard for a player that seems destined for a big leap sooner rather than later.