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Chelsea winger Pulisic admits feeling American pressure

Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic admits he's feeling the pressure of being a top American player in Europe.

The 21-year-old arrived from Borussia Dortmund this surrounded by much fanfare.

But he has struggled to find consistency in his game under Frank Lampard.

Speaking to the Players' Tribune, the winger said: "It makes you feel really good at the beginning to be honest, you feel great, you see all these things, people talking about you on social media; 'wow this kid is great, he's special, he's playing, he's scoring goals at 17 or 18 years old for his national team, he's playing for Dortmund in Europe'.

"You feel really great and then it's more just pressure you feel like all the stuff is kind of hitting you, and you start being expected to do all of these things.

"This generation can be tough, for young players especially, having people talk about you, having constant pressure on your back.

"Especially as Americans, we haven't had a lot of top international talents throughout our years. If you're not able to tune it out then it can be a weight on your shoulders.

"I think there are obstacles, I think not a lot of American players have really proved themselves in Europe and I think when you're an American player and you're trying to prove yourself amongst all these European guys or international guys that are top players who have played in these big competitions, not a whole lot of Americans have been there, it can be tough."

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Freddie Taylor

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