Former US national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann rankled many within the American soccer community this week when he suggested he would've taken the USA to at least the 2018 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals had he remained with the squad.

But there was some truth in his remarks, Christian Pulsic suggested in an intervew with ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.

"I think we had quality to [make a deep run]," Pulisic told ESPN. "I don't see any reason why we couldn't have. Once you get to those knockout stages, I think anything's possible, I think anything could happen."

Pulisic also spoke highly of his own relationship with Klinsmann.

"I had a really good relationship with Jurgen, to be honest," Pulisic said. "He gave me my first chance really with the national team, so I don't have anything bad to say about him at all. I'm really thankful for everything that he gave me."

Klinsmann, recently hired as Hertha Berlin manager in the Bundesliga, was fired after the US opened the hexagonal round of Concacaf qualifying with losses home to Mexico and away to Costa Rica.

Under incoming manager Bruce Arena, the Americans earned 12 points out of their remaining eight matches, finishing one point behind third-place Panama and fourth-place Honduras after a stunning loss at Trinidad and Tobago on the final day.