Christian Pulisic Breaks Silence on Explosive Mauricio Pochettino Controversy
Christian Pulisic minimized tensions with Mauricio Pochettino following his initial reluctance to speak with reporters during the U.S. men's national team's September international fixtures.
The AC Milan attacker has experienced a strained public dynamic with the USMNT manager. Following an exhausting European season, Pulisic requested exclusion from the squad for this summer's Gold Cup tournament.
The adaptable attacker added fuel to the fire when he disclosed that his appeal to participate in the two warm-up matches preceding the competition had been curtly dismissed by Pochettino. As the Argentine manager would emphatically state: "Players must listen and adhere to our strategy. They cannot control the strategy."
Pulisic observed from the sidelines as his teammates fought their way to the championship match, where they were defeated once more by Mexico.
As one of the co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup prepares for the quickly approaching tournament, Pochettino brought Pulisic back into his squad for two friendlies against South Korea and Japan. The Milan winger featured in both contests and, after initially avoiding his media obligations this month, maintained that he had a "positive" relationship with Pochettino.
"There's likely not as much conflict as you all believe there is," Pulisic informed gathered journalists following Tuesday's 2–0 triumph over Japan.
"Yes, we have positive discussions, honestly. Likely what you all witness, and what the media observes, is not precisely what we experience. Things are positive. We talked, we had a regular camp, and everything is positive between us, positive between the team."
It all began so promisingly for Pulisic. The USMNT's hesitant star set up Yunus Musah for the opening goal of Pochettino's era back in October 2024 and enjoyed a victorious beginning. However, the atmosphere around the entire national team began to shift after a devastating Concacaf Nations League semifinal loss to Panama in March.
A record number of losses have ensued, but Tuesday's impressive performance against Japan—which saw Pulisic record an assist—provided some modest validation for Pochettino's confident approach.
The USMNT, likely with Pulisic included, will return to action next month with two friendlies against Ecuador and Australia. There has also been discussion about a potential high-profile World Cup preparation match with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.