Mark McKenzie, defender of Genk and the United States national team, has given a lengthy interview to gianlucadimarzio.com, in which he spoke about his national teammate, Christian Pulisic, as follows:
"Pulisic is a big name in the world of American soccer because he's a player who has made his mark in Europe. He has shown his qualities in different leagues, first with Borussia Dortmund in Germany, then with Chelsea in England, and now with Milan. He's a great player with a lot of talent. He's always had the abilities; he just needed a club and a coach to tailor the perfect role for him. That's what happened at Milan, and now he's shining in this system. With the ball at his feet, dribbling, one-on-one situations, assists, goals with both feet—Christian can do it all."
At Milan, Christian Pulisic has found great confidence... The 24-year-old centre-back said:
"Every player needs the trust of the environment and the staff so they can step onto the field and play with a free mind, without overthinking. Especially for an attacking player, it's important to have this mental disposition. Then, for anyone, it's tough to perform well in an established team, to come on the field 10 minutes before the end and make a difference against closed defenses (as happened at Chelsea). In that case, you see very little of the ball... but since he's been at Milan, he's found confidence, enthusiasm, charisma, and that fire needed to break through."
Regarding Pulisic's role, McKenzie explained:
"He likes to stay wide, receive the ball, and take on defenders. But at the same time, he drops into midfield spaces to create goal-scoring opportunities from other positions. He's a dynamic player, and having trained with him in the national team, I can only say that it's extremely tough to stop him when he's in full flow. Is he a world-class player? It's a label we're attaching to many players, and since Christian is proving his talent at the highest levels, why can't he be one too? But he's a humble guy who takes it game by game, always trying to be dangerous."
According to McKenzie, Pulisic will certainly be one of the symbols of the 2026 World Cup:
"Currently, he's in great form, and if he continues like this, he'll be one of the main figures at the 2026 World Cup. In the national team, we have a talented group, but before the World Cup, there's also the Copa America, also in the United States next summer. It'll be a great stage to show everyone what we're capable of. That said, if Christian maintains these levels, he'll definitely be one of the symbols of the next World Cup."
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