Christian Pulisic must deliver for USMNT at World Cup after Gold Cup absence

Only a few hours before the USA’s 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Switzerland, Christian Pulisic posted a series of pictures to his Instagram account of the 26-year-old enjoying some time off with family and friends. “Just what the doctor ordered,” read the captain.

The doctor for the US Men’s National Team, however, didn’t order a summer without Pulisic.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have badly missed their best player. At a time when the USMNT is preparing for the 2026 World Cup on home soil this summer, Pulisic is on the golf course. Or by the pool. Regardless – he’s anywhere but with his USA teammates at the 2025 Gold Cup. Many supporters (and former players) find that difficult to accept.

Pulisic gave his side of the story last week. Coming off the back of a gruelling club season at AC Milan, the winger requested to play the friendly matches against Turkey and Switzerland before skipping the Gold Cup to rest. This, as Pulisic argued, would be the best thing for his body ahead of the 2025/26 season building up to the World Cup.

Pochettino rejected Pulisic’s request to only play the two friendlies, insisting on having a single squad for the summer including the Gold Cup. “Players need to listen and to stick with our plan,” Pochettino hit back at his captain. “They cannot dictate our plan. When I signed my contract [with] the federation [it said] I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin.”

The USMNT head coach and captain publicly locking horns through the media is far from ideal. It hints at the cultural problems within the camp that have been spoken about since the 2022 World Cup. Reading between the lines, Pochettino and Pulisic clearly view things differently. They have some common ground to find between now and next summer.

By taking this summer off, Pulisic has put himself under pressure for the 2026 World Cup. He must deliver. He needs to justify his decision to skip the Gold Cup by being the leader and difference-maker the USMNT needs him to be when the real stuff starts. He doesn’t have any other excuse.

It should be noted that many fans and experts see Pulisic’s point of view. He played 2,500 minutes in Serie A for AC Milan last season, while also playing nine games in the Champions League, four in the Coppa Italia and two in the Supercoppa. Only a handful of AC Milan players played more minutes than the American last term.

Pulisic has struggled with injuries over the course of his career; it is possibly a wise decision to take some time off before the most important season of his life. If this helps the 26-year-old play at his best leading up to the 2026 World Cup, he will be vindicated in irritating so many fans and his own head coach.

The war of words between Pochettino and Pulisic will be forgotten about as the USA continue their Gold Cup campaign. Sunday’s 5-0 demolition of Trinidad & Tobago was a strong start, but Thursday’s game against Saudi Arabia will be a sterner test. Two wins from two games, however, would represent some form of progress.

Of course, this USMNT is very different to the one that will kick off the 2026 World Cup next summer. It’s not just Pulisic who is missing from the Gold Cup squad, it’s Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun and Sergino Dest among others. This is a second or third string USMNT.

However, this presents several players with an opportunity to prove themselves to Pochettino. It wasn’t so long ago that Diego Luna was called up to a second or third string squad for a camp in January. Now, the Real Salt Lake number 10 is the beating heart of Pochettino’s team and expected to start at the World Cup.

Players like Malik Tillman, Jack McGlynn, Alex Freeman and Sebastian Berhalter could all use this summer’s Gold Cup to make an impression. Pulisic won’t have that opportunity, but Pochettino already knows what the AC Milan player can do. It’s now up to the USMNT star to perform when the pressure is really on, less than a year from now.