Christian Pulisic, once the USA's 'next big thing,' has arrived as a player and leader

ARLINGTON, Texas — Christian Pulisic played a short corner to Tim Weah, then received the ball back just inside the penalty box. He took one touch, then let it rip, blasting a beautiful shot through a crowded box and just out of reach of Bolivian goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra, before it hit the inside of the crossbar and landed across the goal line.

It was just the third minute of the U.S. men's national team's opening Copa América match, and in the quality start they wanted, Pulisic had his side up 1-0. The Americans scored again just before halftime and won 2-0.

After he scored, Pulisic ran to the sideline with his arms wide, wearing a massive grin. He pointed to his teammates and specifically to Gianni Vio, the set piece coach who designed the clever play and who was sitting in the stands. TV cameras caught the winger asking — amid teammates jumping on him and hugging him — "Hey, where is Gianni?" He wanted to give credit where it was due.

Even though it looked like it, Pulisic said after the match that there wasn't any added emotion after that particular goal. "It's Copa América, it's a major tournament," he put it simply. 

But perhaps deep down, there was a little. Wearing the captain's armband, Pulisic set the tone for the USMNT as it prepares not only for its second group-stage match against Panama on Thursday in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (6 p.m. ET on FOX Sports and the FOX Sports app), but a deep run in this summer's tournament and beyond.

"He's a selfless leader," coach Gregg Berhalter said. "He goes out and just competes and works really hard and that helps the team. And then you add to the fact that he's highly skilled, and he can make plays on the offensive end and create chances on the offensive end,