AC Milan's Tactical Blueprint Transforms How USMNT Unleashes Christian Pulisic's Potential

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching team have acknowledged AC Milan's role in helping maximize Christian Pulisic's performance with the national squad.

Though Pulisic achieved success with the USMNT prior to Pochettino's arrival and has had disagreements with the coach regarding Gold Cup participation and summer exhibition matches, his position as the team's premier talent remains unquestioned.

For Pochettino, this meant absorbing all available information to structure the team in ways that would enhance Pulisic's abilities. When fit, Pulisic has displayed excellent form for AC Milan this campaign, netting four goals and providing two assists across six appearances before sustaining an injury during USMNT duty in October.

While Pochettino cannot personally monitor players worldwide, his assistants travel globally to observe squad members and communicate with club managers. Jesus Perez, the USMNT's lead assistant coach, highlighted how discussions with Milan's coaching staff shaped their approach to utilizing Pulisic.

"I recall a specific discussion in Milan... the [AC Milan] manager told me at the time, 'I believe Christian excels when positioned in this area, performing this function," Perez shared with Fox Sports. "It was crucial for me to relay this insight to Mauricio."

Pochettino Managing November Exhibitions Without Pulisic

While Perez, Pochettino and the USMNT allow room for incorporating club coaches' insights, they recognize the difference between consistent club-level observations and the brief international window glimpses they experience.

"I'm not suggesting we accept everything they tell us," Perez explained. "However, these individuals are professionals just like us. Our colleagues' perspectives are extremely valuable. We then consider and assess their input. I believe in soccer, as in life, you must remain humble enough to hear everyone out before making your decisions."

Pulisic has featured in various roles under Pochettino, though the USMNT appeared most effective using a 3-4-3 setup with him positioned on the left flank. Despite limited playing time due to his injury, the overall impressions from October's camp were encouraging.

Optimizing Pulisic's contribution along with every squad member will be essential leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 12. Nevertheless, Pochettino cannot rely on Pulisic this month, as the forward has only recently recovered from injury. He will be absent for international exhibitions against Paraguay and Uruguay.

Pulisic's potential return to the USMNT could occur during the two-match March period, the final camp before the World Cup.