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The U.S. men's national team is precisely one month out from kicking off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on home turf, meaning Christian Pulisic is one month away from spearheading the effort.
The USMNT will face Group D opponent Paraguay on June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium), the opening fixture in the Stars and Stripes' eagerly awaited tournament run. Pulisic, widely dubbed "Captain America" for his remarkable achievements as an American competing in Europe's elite soccer leagues, will carry the expectations of an entire nation. That burden has been his since before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar — his debut on soccer's biggest stage — where he recorded an assist in the opening match and netted the decisive goal against Iran to reach the round of 16.
"There's nothing quite like a World Cup," Pulisic says. "I remember the nerves and the feelings and going into it, it was just kind of surreal, and then the moment happens. It all goes so fast, but this time, I think I'll definitely be more prepared for it, having played in one, having some good moments, and also some moments to learn from. Having done that before is going to help me for sure."
Before he can shift his focus to the global competition, however, the AC Milan forward must first overcome personal obstacles. Not only has he endured a scoreless stretch internationally since 2024 and at the club level since 2025, but he has also recently suffered an injury, sitting out Milan's Serie A fixture against Atalanta on Sunday with a muscular issue in his glute.
The 27-year-old must first restore his fitness before he can think about rediscovering his scoring touch — and ultimately chasing world championship glory.
Pulisic's Plan to Shift His Mindset
Pulisic plans to take a far more relaxed mental approach, a notable departure from the intensely focused mindset the then-24-year-old carried into the 2022 World Cup.
"I'm just going to try to live in the moment and enjoy it a bit more," Pulisic says. "I was probably difficult to talk to during the whole experience. I was so locked in, just getting ready, [awestruck] like 'This is the World Cup.' It was so big. I just want to, in some ways, be a bit more relaxed and try to enjoy the experience more this time."
That shift in outlook will be helped by the familiar surroundings, as the U.S. co-hosts the tournament with Mexico and Canada, with matches spread across 11 American cities, including Philadelphia, which sits fewer than 100 miles from where Pulisic was raised in Hershey, Pa. The USMNT's group stage games will be held on the West Coast, however, in Los Angeles and Seattle.
"Having a little bit more family and friends around watching games definitely gives you that extra comfort level," Pulisic says. "Having them, having some of the people that I love there watching, makes it even better."
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has set the ambitious target of reaching the semifinals this summer — a historic achievement for a side whose deepest run in the modern World Cup era was a quarterfinal appearance over two decades ago at the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan. Pulisic, however, prefers not to get caught up in lofty expectations, choosing instead to concentrate on each performance as it comes.
"You go into the World Cup, you dream about winning the World Cup," he adds. "We want to go as far as we can, of course, but for me, there's no point in setting expectations. All we can do is focus step by step, game by game, doing the best we can. The goal is to walk away with no regrets."
Pulisic's Relationship With His Teammates
The USMNT is a tightly bonded group, something Pulisic deeply values, with at least 12 members of Pochettino's 2026 World Cup roster having shared the pitch together at the 2022 edition.
Pulisic shares a particularly strong connection with fullbacks Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, alongside whom he appears in Michelob ULTRA's latest commercial campaign. The ad features the trio sparking an impromptu scrimmage against Argentina's Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez and Nicolás Paz Martínez in a hotel lobby — all over a bucket of beers meant to be delivered to Hollywood actor Billy Bob Thornton's room.
"I feel pretty close with a lot of my teammates. I'd say obviously Sergiño and definitely Antonee Robinson, having them around," Pulisic says. "Antonee and I have definitely gotten close. We have been for a while."
He and Robinson also share a love of chess and regularly exchange messages, a friendship that deepened when both were based in London — Robinson at Fulham and Pulisic at Chelsea.
Pulisic's chemistry with striker Folarin Balogun has also blossomed, and the two enjoy playing alongside each other most on the pitch. The Monaco forward has been in sensational form recently, netting 11 goals across his last 12 appearances in all competitions, making a strong case for a starting spot up front this summer.
"It's been a lot of fun to play with Balogun," Pulisic says. "He's a really talented player, a fun striker to play off of, and he's a really skillful and creative player as well. Whenever I see him scoring, I love to follow along and just send him a message or whatever. It's great to see him doing so well, so really looking forward to the summer."
Following the Paraguay opener, the U.S. will take on Australia and Türkiye. The top two finishers from each group advance automatically, along with eight of the best third-place sides.