IMOTGP exclusive: A Chance Encounter with a Pulisic teammate!

He plays with Pulisic!

As the owner of one of the world's foremost football humour blogs, you loyal readers are well aware that The Phantom often gets texts and emails soliciting his opinions on world football. Just this week, one rabid fan texted us with the news that Landon Donovan was returning to MLS. Of course, The Phantom was busy reporting that story by checking our IMOTGP West Coast sources.

One of the advantages in living in a country in which football is a niche sport is that The Phantom can walk down the street in anonymity, something IMOTGP doesn't take for granted since we would be besieged with autograph requests if we lived in a Brazil or Germany.  But sometimes even The Phantom gets recognized, and it resulted in the picture above - which is the product of an interesting story.

Truth be told, the IMOTGP blog is a bit drunk at the moment so this story may not have happened exactly this way. But this is how we recall it to the best of our memory.  The Phantom was minding his own business walking down the street when United States captain Michael Bradley walked by and the following conversation ensued. We think.

Bradley: Hey wait, are you the guy running the IMOTGP blog?

Phantom:  Scusi, chi sei? (momentarily forgetting that Bradley also speaks Italian from his days in Serie A)

Bradley: Che cosa? Sono un Americano, Il Fantasma!

Phantom: OK, you got me Michael. Great to see you after that performance the other night by Christian Pulisic. What's up, you been reading the blog?

Bradley: Yeah, the IMOTGP is big in Canada ever since you went to Mexico City to see that Mexico-Canada game.  But what's up with you not mentioning me at all in the latest Pulisic piece. You know, I played in that game too. And can I get a selfie with you for the guys?  They don't believe you exist after that trip to Azteca.

Phantom: Sorry I don't do selfies, man. No autographs, either.

Bradley (takes Phantom's phone): I don't believe you, what kind of blogger are you? Let me see your phone.

Bradley proceeds to press some buttons, messes up the phone and gets confused before giving up. We take the phone back.

Phantom: So Michael, why don't I take a photo of you for the blog? I'd rather have another shot of Pulisic but since you're here ...

Bradley: I'm sick of this Pulisic shit! The kid has played like two games for us and started maybe once in the Bundesliga. Hell, I have started more Bundesliga games than him and played in Italy and the Netherlands. And I hate Justin Bieber! You and the Twitterverse have got to stop stroking him!

Phantom (takes picture): Sorry, Mike, it's about pageviews so we gotta post more on Pulisic. Don't worry, I'll work him into this one. Thanks!