AL RAYYAN, Qatar—The comparisons have been there for years now, noting how one lithe but powerful, ultra-skilled and occasionally pensive or moody American soccer savior from the suburbs of central Pennsylvania reminds us of his predecessor from the suburbs in San Bernardino County, Calif.
Christian Pulisic is, and Landon Donovan was, the most consistently dangerous and dynamic attacker in a U.S. jersey. They have, and had, a knack for unlocking defenses off the dribble, making magic in tight spaces and arriving with speed at just the right spot in just the right moment. They are, or were, the faces of their national side and of their generation—the players most often relied upon by teammates in the clutch, and most often elevated and analyzed by fans and media. That scrutiny is something that both men don’t, or didn’t, always have an easy time accepting.
And now they’re connected by World Cup heroics. Donovan’s iconic 2010 goal against Algeria, which catapulted the U.S. from elimination to top of its group in the time it took the ball to travel eight yards, is legendary in large part because of the last-gasp, stoppage-time drama that surrounded it.
