Christian Pulisic shines in first Champions League start for Borussia Dortmund

Don’t get too excited, the level-headed fans tell themselves. He’s still only 17. And he has plenty of time to develop into (fingers crossed) the greatest American male soccer player this country has ever seen.

But United States men’s national team fans just can’t help themselves, especially after they see Christian Pulisic continue to make defenders look foolish in the biggest club soccer competition on the planet.

The soccer prodigy from Pennsylvania made his first Champions League start for Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday and, although he did not get on the score sheet in a 6-0 victory at Legia Warsaw, he made his presence felt throughout the Bundesliga powerhouse’s group stage opener and biggest win ever in Europe.

Dortmund dominated from the start, amassing a 3-0 halftime lead from three different goal scorers. Conveniently, Fox Sports put together a highlight of Pulisic’s best first-half touches.

Pulisic would have scored Dortmund’s third goal if Marc Bartra also wasn’t standing at the far post. He picked up an assist when his cross set up substitute Gonzalo Castro for a 5-0 lead in the 75th minute.

Pulisic played the full 90 minutes, and this latest stellar performance won’t slow down the hype that got a jet-propelled boost when he starred in the USMNT’s convincing 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in World Cup qualifying. This will only continue the clamor for Jurgen Klinsmann to start him against rival Mexico in the U.S.’s next World Cup qualifier in November when the Hexagonal round begins.

American fans need patience with Christian Pulisic. Fat chance that’s going to happen, though.