Ex-USMNT Star Stuart Holden Drops Bombshell: Is Christian Pulisic’s Talent Being Overlooked Just Because He’s American?

Passport, a pedigree, and a perception problem

Pulisic’s grandfather, Mate, was born on the Croatian island of Olib. When Pulisic moved to Borussia Dortmund at just 17, he obtained Croatian citizenship, a necessary step to avoid work-permit complications in Germany. This detail has followed him throughout his career: the notion that he could have represented the Checkered Ones but didn’t.

The point matters because Croatia, a nation with a strong soccer heritage and two World Cup podium finishes in the last decade, commands a different kind of European respect. Playing for the USMNT, a team still fighting preconceptions, brings a different set of assumptions — fair or not. It is here, in the middle of the discussion, that Holden finally reveals what he truly believes.

What did Stuart Holden say about Pulisic?

Holden’s answer was blunt, and it quickly spread across social media. “Would Pulisic be more valued if he played for Croatia? Absolutely. There’s still a stigma around American soccer.” That was the core of his argument — clear, unfiltered, and aimed straight at soccer’s global biases.

But he didn’t stop there. Holden then delivered the comparison that lit up X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and soccer forums within hours. “I’ve seen the graphics online — if his name were Pulišić and he played for Croatia, he’d be worth €50 million. If he were Pulisicinho and Brazilian, he’d be worth €90 million. And I think that’s absolutely true.”

The numbers may be hypothetical, but the sentiment was not. The 40-year-old added, “He’s a top-25 player in the world right now. He’s playing great soccer in a top-five league for a team near the top of the table.”

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