Chelsea star Christian Pulisic is looking to follow on from the impact that David Beckham had on American soccer, and use the World Cup to boost their image globally.
Football, or soccer as it's referred to in North America, has grown massively over the last 15 years. Canada have qualified for their first World Cup since 1986, and more American stars are gracing the best European leagues as their quality continues to increase.
Major League Soccer is also bigger than ever, and many put its growth down to Beckham, who moved to LA Galaxy back in 2007. Beckham used his status to help create more awareness for the American soccer 15 years ago, and Pulisic is keen to drive it even further on the international stage.
Soccer is far from being the top sport over in the United States, with baseball, ice hockey, basketball and American football all remaining more popular choices. However, interest in soccer increases every year, and the United States are expecting that to peak in 2026.
The United States, Canada and Mexico will share hosting duties of the World Cup in four years, and Pulisic is determined to help further the growth before then. As this is the last World Cup until their big moment, it's crucial that they use the world stage to their advantage.
"Maybe it hasn’t been the top sport back in the States and we want to change the way that the world sees American soccer – it’s one of our goals," Pulisic said. "We haven’t been at the level of some of these world powerhouses in recent decades, but we’ve had good teams with a lot of heart.
"We can take it to the next step – a successful World Cup would change a lot." There have been an influx of American stars joining the Premier League in recent years, with Pulisic playing for Chelsea, and both Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams currently at Leeds United.
But back in 2007, it was rare for English stars to play their trade in America, and almost unheard of that anyone of Beckham's level would think of playing in MLS. But fast forward to 2022, Gareth Bale is at LAFC, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kaka and Steven Gerrard have all played in the division.
Beckham's move to LA Galaxy was questioned 15 years ago, but the England legend said: "I'm not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve.
"Baseball, basketball, American football, they've been around. But I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could make a difference."
It's certainly done that, but this is just the beginning, according to Pulisic. The sport and MLS continues to grow, with more money and time being put into developing the young generation.
