ไทย
English
中國人
With the 2026 World Cup rapidly approaching, a troubling slump persists for U.S. national team forward Christian Pulisic, who has now gone 17 straight matches without scoring for AC Milan.
The beloved star, affectionately nicknamed "Captain America" for his heroic performances as an American standout in European football, has achieved remarkable milestones including becoming the youngest American to net 10 international goals (at 20 years and 189 days) and the first American man to appear in a Champions League final (2020–21), which his Chelsea team claimed. Yet he now finds himself in the deepest scoring drought of his career.
The 27-year-old last scored in 2025, a dip in form that has recently relegated him to a substitute role at the Serie A club. The four-time U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year has also gone without a goal for the national team since November 2024—a particularly concerning stretch given that the country is counting on him to spearhead the USMNT's World Cup campaign next month.
The U.S., co-hosting the prestigious tournament alongside Canada and Mexico this summer, will take on Paraguay, Australia, and Türkiye in Group D beginning June 12—a manageable draw that could turn considerably tougher without their key player firing on all cylinders.
Former USMNT standout and current sports commentator Stu Holden addressed Pulisic's goal drought on Monday, offering insight into what may be limiting him and distinguishing the Stars and Stripes' marquee player from the sport's elite.
What Holds Christian Pulisic Back?
"Based purely on ability, Christian Pulisic ranks among the top-40 players in the world," Holden stated on FOX Sports.
"What sets that tier of player apart from the absolute elite—the [Lionel] Messi's, the [Cristiano] Ronaldo's, the [Kylian] Mbappé's—is that they don't struggle as much with the mental side of the game during these significant slumps.
"Their dips are shallower, yet they remain at a very high level ... That's the distinction for Pulisic. If he can reach that point where he simply pushes through it, you won't see him go from being the standout player in Serie A for the first six months to someone whose starting spot is suddenly uncertain week to week."
Pulisic has been hampered by inconsistency throughout this season, which Holden attributes to a lack of mental resilience. The American forward shone brightly early on, netting eight goals across the opening four months of league action to help spark Milan's eventual 18-game unbeaten run. However, his form fell off sharply after December, and he has since lost his place in the starting lineup, coming off the bench in two of his last five appearances, including Sunday's 2–0 defeat to Sassuolo—a result that now threatens Milan's Champions League qualification.
Holden posed the question: "It leaves me sitting here today, as we're talking, wondering what version of Pulisic we're going to see this summer?"
With only three matches remaining in Milan's season, Pulisic has little time to turn things around. At minimum, he will be hoping for a revival during the USMNT's final warm-up friendlies against Senegal and Germany later this month, seeking a spark of confidence ahead of the tournament.