Pulisic’s Next Move: Proving His Loyalty to USMNT

The beauty of YouTube allows fans to relive moments like Christian Pulisic’s pivotal goal against Iran during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, accessible to anyone with a computer and internet. 

It’s evident that Pulisic endured significant pain for that goal, which pushed the United States men’s national team into the knockout stages. This strike was among the most arduous in soccer history, as Pulisic was inadvertently hit in a sensitive area by Iranian goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand’s knee.

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Check out all the angles of Christian Pulisic’s gutsy goal for the United States against Iran. He paid the price as he would suffer a pelvic contusion.

With a simple Google search, one can uncover details about past matches, like the USMNT’s World Cup qualifier against Honduras in February 2022 at Allianz Field, St. Paul, Minnesota, where the temperature dropped to 3 degrees Fahrenheit and a wind chill of minus-14. In that match, Pulisic played for 25 minutes, scored, and then remained on the bench for the remainder, helping the team secure vital points toward World Cup qualification.

So, let’s be clear: The player who braved the cold and sacrificed his well-being is the one we’re now questioning for lacking commitment to the national team?

Where does this narrative arise from?

DECOURCY: This summer, Christian Pulisic needs rest more than anything else.

He has become the focal point of a narrative fueled by former USMNT players, a public spat between Pulisic’s father and legendary Landon Donovan, Pulisic’s explanation of his recent play, and fans who rarely portray a positive outlook regarding the team.

“You can voice your opinions about my performance—discuss whatever you want,” Pulisic told CBS Sports Golazo. “However, questioning my dedication, particularly to the national team? I find that extremely out of line.”

Indeed, he faced public backlash from another ex-national team player over this issue.

Pulisic’s choice to take the summer off following nearly two years of continuous competition is, quite frankly, the best strategy for the most vital player on the USMNT to gear up for the most significant World Cup the nation has seen since 1994. From August 2023 to May 2025, he would have faced very little downtime, and had he participated in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, he’d be looking at just a couple of brief breaks throughout this three-year span.

This decision allows him to approach the upcoming season and next summer’s major event rejuvenated, more so than during his less active time with Chelsea FC between 2019-23. With key players like Jedi Robinson, Sergino Dest, Folarin Balogun, and Ricardo Pepi absent from the Gold Cup due to injuries, and midfielders Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie, and winger Timothy Weah missing because of their commitments to the Club World Cup, involving Pulisic in the Gold Cup would have had minimal impact.

Despite this, analysts such as Tim Howard, Alexi Lalas, Herculez Gomez, and Donovan have criticized him for his decision.

Donovan rebuked Pulisic for playing in AC Milan’s last match, labeling it as inconsequential, especially in light of his request to skip the Gold Cup. However, Pulisic was aware he wouldn’t play in June and July, and representing Milan is fundamentally his occupation. With a reported salary of $6 million annually, this is a compelling reason to compete.

“There seems to be a narrative that Christian Pulisic is fragile, egotistical, self-serving, and lacks pride. He is conscious of how the USMNT is performing and feels compelled to respond. Unfortunately, when he does, it doesn’t depict him in a favorable light and paints U.S. Soccer poorly as well. The situation feels chaotic,” Gomez shared with ESPN FC.

Is it unreasonable for Pulisic to defend himself against claims of weakness, selfishness, and indifference towards the USMNT, with whom he has played 78 matches at just 26 years old, scoring 32 goals, including crucial ones in the CONCACAF Nations League in June 2021 and World Cup qualifying against Mexico in November 2021?

And why must I even ask such a ridiculous rhetorical question?

The unexpected aspect of this entire controversy is not just how artificially constructed it appears but that it centers on the Gold Cup, a tournament that has not featured the U.S.’s top national team since 2019. It’s no longer the primary event in CONCACAF; since the introduction of the Nations League in 2019, teams have prioritized it over the Gold Cup.

Pulisic, one of only ten players in Europe’s elite leagues to have participated in at least 50 games in the last two seasons, requested U.S. Soccer to refrain from participating in the Gold Cup while offering to be part of their training camp and friendly matches against Turkiye and Switzerland.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino ultimately turned him down, which is his choice, but his reasoning that the Gold Cup is “important” seems unconvincing. Consider two possible scenarios: 1) The U.S. clinches the 2025 Gold Cup but gets eliminated in group play at the 2026 World Cup; 2) The U.S. does poorly in the Gold Cup but makes it past the group stage to the round of 16 in the World Cup. Which outcome would resonate more with USMNT fans? Therefore, which should have been the training focus during those June friendlies?

Pochettino has further inflamed this unnecessary debate by expressing his views on the apparent commitment of players from other nations to their teams, stating his desire for USMNT players “who would give everything for the jersey.” However, this comparison lacks fairness. Players in Europe and South America aren’t obligated to participate in a lengthy continental tournament every two years; contests like Copa America and the European Championship occur every four years, just like the World Cup. The UEFA Nations League title recently secured by Portugal, amid Donovan’s critiques of Pulisic, only required a semifinal and final within a single week after the club season concluded. That event wrapped up on June 8; the Gold Cup won’t conclude until July 6.

Pochettino seems to be leveraging this situation to set expectations for players who are absent—regardless of the reason—about who will lead when they assemble ahead of the World Cup in LA next June. He’s adept enough to understand that Gregg Berhalter’s “second tenure” was derailed by a player pool that exploited their influence over the coach after they advocated for him to remain following an investigation into his actions during college.

By adopting this stance, Pochettino appears to be pressuring his key players to show greater passion the next time they don the USA jersey. And surely, there will be more opportunities for Pulisic, McKennie, Robinson, and the others.

This coaching approach has its merits, but the timing is questionable. With numerous analysts in the media and on soccer Twitter harshly criticizing this generation of USMNT players, and now the coach echoing these sentiments, the bond between the team and its fans—which should be a homefield advantage next summer throughout the U.S.—could become irretrievably damaged.