Christian Pulisic, 19, from Hershey looks to be the heir apparent to Clint Dempsey, and one of the next generation of players to renew America’s hope for soccer greatness, writes Hanif Abdurraqib for The New York Times.

Dempsey was an anomaly in the national soccer scene, populated by college-educated players from wealthy backgrounds.

Unlike them, Dempsey grew up in a trailer behind his grandparents’ house and had to take six-hour roundtrips three times each week to practice with his team. At home, he played soccer with Mexican-American men who lived and worked nearby, and it gave him a special type of inventiveness and creativity.

His perseverance paid off as he is the only U.S. men’s player to score in three straight World Cups.

While Pulisic does not share the same humble roots as Dempsey (he is from the middle-class academy system in Pennsylvania) his abilities are drawing comparisons with the soccer legend.

This is underscored by his move to Germany, which has one of the strongest national leagues in the world.

Read more about the new generation of U.S. soccer greats in The New York Times by clicking here.