Just 18, Pulisic coming of age as US pursues World Cup spot

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) — Christian Pulisic has been given plenty of responsibility as an 18-year-old on the U.S. national team.

Bring up his age, though, and the central midfielder turns a little defensive.

“Everyone asks me questions about my age,” Pulisic said Wednesday, a day before World Cup qualifying resumes against Trinidad and Tobago. “It doesn’t matter anymore. We’re all at the same level.”

Sometimes, his coaches and teammates forget that he is indeed only 18. He doesn’t play like a typical teenager. The talented Borussia Dortmund phenom already is the youngest American to win a medal with a European club.

“He kind of sees things a bit different than your average 18-year-old,” forward Jozy Altidore said.

Pulisic broke into the national team as an outside midfielder under Jurgen Klinsmann. Since taking over in November, coach Bruce Arena has thrust him into central midfield, a role Pulisic filled at Dortmund after Marco Reus got hurt.

“Where would you prefer me to play him? He’s capable of it,” Arena said.

Even when the game turns chippy, like it did in a 1-1 draw with Panama in March, Pulisic has been up to the task. It was a valuable point as the Americans sit in fourth place in the six-team standings with four points, while Trinidad and Tobago is last with three points. The top three teams qualify, with the fourth-place squad going to a playoff against Asia’s No. 5 nation.

“He was called to man up, and he manned up,” said Arena, whose team plays in Mexico on Sunday. “From what I could tell so far in his career, everything that’s been put in front of him, he’s been able to conquer. I think that’s a strong indication that this kid is going to be a special player.”