Christian Pulisic Copa America Odds: USA star +5000 to win Player of the Tournament

Rusty Gorelick Updated: Jun 17 2024 16:21

United States Men's National Team star Christian Pulisic is +5000 to win the Player of the Tournament award at the 2024 Copa America.

Pulisic is coming off a career year in his first season with AC Milan in Italy. He had career highs in both goals and assists with 12 and eight respectively, and he was one of just six players in Serie A to reach 20 combined goals and assists.

With 29 USMNT goals, Pulisic is the highest-scoring active player for the team. His 0.43 goals-per-game record for the national team puts him close to an average of a goal every two games, which is a rate every aspiring goalscorer wants to reach.

Pulisic's Player of the Tournament price of +5000 doesn't put him among the favorites - Lionel Messi leads the way at +275 followed by Brazil's Vinicius Jr. at +350 - but his odds are much shorter than the next-closest American, Haji Wright at +10000.

Still, Pulisic has the same odds as 2011 Copa America Player of the Tournament Luis Suarez (+5000) and shorter odds than 2016 award winner Alexis Sanchez (+6600), although both players are well into their 30s while Pulisic is 25.

The USMNT opens the tournament with matches against Bolivia and Panama, and the US will be favored for both. Those matches provide a golden opportunity for Pulisic to start the Copa America with strong performances that could shorten his Player of the Tournament odds.

Plus, Pulisic and co. get a tough test to finish the group stage as they face Uruguay, coached by Marcelo Bielsa and led by Champions League-winning midfielder Federico Valverde.

The last time a player whose team did not win the Copa America won Player of the Tournament was in 2015. Lionel Messi won the award despite his Argentina team finishing as runners-up to winners Chile.

Before that, Amado Guevara of Honduras won it in 2001 despite Colombia winning the tournament.