Can Christian Pulisic Overcome a Tumultuous Season to Lead USMNT at the 2026 World Cup?
Whilst he wasn’t able to justify Chelsea‘s £58 million outlay, he did become the first American to play (and win) a UEFA Champions League Final. And after missing out on qualification to the 2018 edition, he excelled in the 2022 World Cup, assisting goals against the Netherlands and Wales and grabbing two Man of the Match awards in Qatar.
Christian Pulisic has failed to deliver in 2026
Pulisic moved to Italy in 2023, trading bench duties in London for a protagonist role in Milan. He racked up a career-high 15 goals and 11 assists in 50 appearances before scoring a goal and assist in the USA’s Copa América debut, although he was subdued versus Panama and Uruguay as the hosts stumbled to a group stage exit.
He continued his fine displays in 2024/25, scoring 17 goals and 12 assists in 50 appearances, becoming the first American since Clint Dempsey to hit double figures in back-to-back seasons in a major European league. But rather than compete in the 2025 Gold Cup on home soil, he decided to extend his summer vacation and skip out on the USA’s first tournament under Mauricio Pochettino.



Post Comment