CAN CHRISTIAN PULISIC BECOME THE FIRST U.S. MEN’S SUPERSTAR IN WORLD-CLASS SOCCER? THE TEAM USA SOCCER COACH THINKS HE MIGHT, THIS SUNDAY ON “60 MINUTES”
The Raw Talent of the 19-year-old Pennsylvania Phenomenon Could Boost the World Cup Chances of the U.S. National Team
There is some hesitation when Team USA Soccer Coach Bruce Arena says Christian Pulisic could be the first American soccer superstar. But the coach is confident enough in the raw talent of this 19-year-old from Hershey, Penn., to say on 60 MINUTES that the kid has a good chance. Sharyn Alfonsi talks to Arena and to Pulisic and his parents on the next edition of 60 MINUTES, Sunday, Oct. 1 (7:30-8:30 PM, ET/7:00-8:00 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network.
In a sport wildly popular almost every place outside the U.S., America has never produced a world-class superstar. Since the best talent was in other countries, Pulisic went to Germany for his later high school years and came up through the soccer system in Dortmund. He plays for the city’s professional team and makes over $8 million a year when endorsements are figured in. Watch a clip.
And no wonder: he was only 17 years old when he scored his first goal for Dortmund. Picture the best-ever high school baseball player hitting a home run off of the best major league pitching. At 19, Pulisic has scored as many professional goals as Lionel Messi when he was 19, and Messi is considered the world’s best player.
“It makes you think he is going to be perhaps the first American superstar in the sport,” says Arena. “I’m willing to say that.” When Alfonsi counters that there are many who are hedging on this prediction, Arena replies: “You have to be hesitant about this, but this is a very talented young man.”
Arena acknowledges the talent gap between American players and those of other countries when he describes the first time he saw Pulisic play. “First of all, he doesn’t look like an American. That’s a compliment. He looks like a natural on the field, he moves gracefully, he's strong for his size, his speed is incredible, and his first touch is good.”
Those skills are being put to use in qualifying games that will determine which teams are admitted to next summer’s World Cup. The U.S. has never fielded a team that made it to the World Cup finals. Pulisic is giving many American soccer fans hope.
Alfonsi asks Pulisic if he thinks there’s an expectation for him to become the next Messi. “I think it’s what American fans, soccer fans do, especially. They’re looking for the next star, the next player to be the face of U.S. soccer and all the stuff I hear every day,” he says.
60 MINUTES LISTINGS FOR SUNDAY, OCT. 1
The following stories are scheduled to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday, Oct. 1 (7:30-8:30 PM, ET/7:00-8:00 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network.
THE SHOOTING – In his first interview since sustaining a life-threatening gunshot wound, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) tells Norah O’Donnell about the attack and how he survived the devastating wound through surgeries and rehabilitation. Scalise, the House Majority Whip, appears with his wife, Jennifer. Keith Sharman and Jenna Gibson are the producers.
VAST – After 27 years in space, the Hubble Space Telescope is sending back some of its most beautiful and revealing images from across the vast universe. Bill Whitaker reports. Robert G. Anderson and Aaron Weisz are the producers.
THE YOUNG AMERICAN – That’s what they call Christian Pulisic in Germany, where the 19-year-old from Pennsylvania is already a millionaire pro soccer star. But in the U.S., Pulisic is being touted as one of the best American players ever and the new talent who can help the U.S. National Team qualify for the World Cup. Sharyn Alfonsi reports. Guy Campanile and Andrew Bast are the producers.
IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE BEING SHOT AND CRITICALLY WOUNDED, REP. STEVE SCALISE DESCRIBES THE EXTENT OF HIS INJURIES AND HOW SURGEONS PUT HIM BACK TOGETHER, ON “60 MINUTES,” THIS SUNDAY
The First Excerpt from House Majority Whip Scalise’s Interview with Norah O’Donnell Appeared Today on “CBS This Morning”
In his first interview since sustaining a life-threatening gunshot wound, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) tells Norah O’Donnell the bullet caused so much damage that surgeons had to literally put him back together again. Scalise, the House majority whip, the third highest ranking member of the Republican majority, was shot at a GOP Congressional Baseball team practice last June. Scalise appears with his wife, Jennifer, to recount the attack and how he survived the devastating wound. The interview will be broadcast on 60 MINUTES, Sunday, Oct. 1 (7:30-8:30 PM, ET/7:00-8:00 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network.
An excerpt of the interview appeared on CBS THIS MORNING today (18). A transcript is below. Please credit 60 MINUTES. Watch the clip here.
IT WAS JUST AFTER 7 AM ON JUNE 14, AT A BALLPARK IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA WHEN A TEAM MADE-UP OF REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN WENT FROM SHAGGING BALLS TO DODGING BULLETS.
Nat sound — Gun shots. “Has that guy been shot? Is he OK?”
THAT GUY WAS CONGRESSMAN STEVE SCALISE. HE’D BEEN HIT IN THE LEFT HIP WITH A BULLET FROM A RIFLE. THIS CELL PHONE VIDEO WAS AMONG THE FIRST IMAGES OF HIM THAT DAY. THE LAST WAS HIM BEING WHEELED ON A GURNEY TO A HELICOPTER, CLINGING TO LIFE. HE SPENT MOST OF THE NEXT FOUR DAYS UNCONSCIOUS.
STEVE SCALISE: I found out later just how much damage was done internally. You know, I mean, my femur was shattered. The hip and pelvis had serious damage where the bullet went through and, you know, did some damage to areas that had to be shored up with steel plates and then they did a phenomenal job of rebuilding, you know, kind of the, rebuilding Humpty Dumpty. I mean, there were, there was a lot of damage inside that – that had to get fixed.
NORAH O'DONNELL: They put you back together again.
STEVE SCALISE: They put me back together again. (LAUGH)
ENDS
REP. STEVE SCALISE, HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP, SPEAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE BEING SHOT AND NEARLY KILLED ON A VIRGINIA BALLFIELD LAST JUNE– 60 MINUTES SUNDAY
Scalise and his Wife Jennifer Speak to Norah O’Donnell in the
60 MINUTES Interview, Sunday on CBS
Rep. Steve Scalise (R.-LA.), the House Majority Whip who was shot at a Republican Congressional Baseball team practice last June, speaks to Norah O’Donnell in his first interview since the shooting. Scalise appears with his wife Jennifer to recount the attack and how he survived the life threatening gunshot wound. The interview will be broadcast on 60 MINUTES, Sunday, Oct. 1 (7:30-8:30 PM, ET/7:00-8:00 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network. O’Donnell announced the interview on CBS THIS MORNING. Watch.
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