'I don't need to be the main man' - Pulisic learns to share the burden as USA launch World Cup quest

Christian Pulisic has agreed to be his "best self" is all the United States expects of him after spending years obsessing over being the team's talisman.< /p>

The Chelsea striker is expected to play an important role when the United States kick off their Qatar World Cup campaign against Wales on Monday.

Gregg Berhalter's side will later face England and Iran, and their presence in the final is a huge relief after the team surprisingly missed out on the game four years ago.

The United States missed the Russia 2018 final after losing 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago in their final qualifier, which Pulisic described as "abnormal play".

All the results that were meant to go against the Americans did just that, and they remained discouraged and aloof from the action that unfolded.

Pulisic says he used that failure as "a lot of motivation" this time around, explaining his disappointment by saying, "There was a lot going on in my head. One of my biggest dreams was to compete in a World Cup."

He was just 19 at the time of the final in Russia, playing as a teenage star in Germany for Borussia Dortmund, and has since moved to the Premier League.

The cheers coming his way were tough on the young Pulisic, and he said: "To be honest, I took a lot of that weight off my shoulders at that point because I felt like it was my job to help the team and score goals to allow us to qualify for this World Cup.

"This whole process was really difficult for me and in the end, not qualifying was one of the biggest disappointments of my life."

Pulisic explained, in an interview published by US Soccer, how he initially felt "a little chip on my shoulder throughout the qualifying process" this time around.

"I felt like I really had to perform and be the main man sometimes," he said.

"But there came a time when I realized that I didn't need to be like that with this team. There are so many amazing players in this team now that I can just give my best. myself and being part of the teams and that's enough.

"I used my teammates and leaned on them at times and the guys did an amazing job."

He feels "incredibly proud" to qualify this time around.

"Playing the World Cup would obviously mean everything to me," Pulisic said.

"To know so many of these guys for so long, and to be able to do it with them by my side, is definitely special and hopefully a moment that we will cherish for the rest of our lives."