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U.S. men's national team forward Christian Pulisic endured a difficult Tuesday night on multiple fronts.
To start, his side was convincingly beaten by Portugal 2–0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. On top of that, the match stretched Pulisic's scoreless run across all competitions to 15 games—and represented his eighth straight goalless appearance for the national team, the lengthiest dry spell of his U.S. career.
And to make matters worse for the USMNT's most recognizable face, head coach Mauricio Pochettino openly admitted that he doesn't think Pulisic—or any player on his roster—ranks among the top 100 players in the world right now.
"We are USA," Pochettino said following the match. "We are competing against Belgium, Portugal. I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have in the top 100 players, a few or some, players playing in that top 100. I think we don't have. That is why it's good to play against these types of teams."
Is Pulisic Losing Star Power?
Pochettino likely intended no offense; however, his remarks arrive amid growing scrutiny over Pulisic's standing as a star, just weeks before the 2026 World Cup gets underway.
The typically prolific attacker has found the net 32 times in 83 appearances for the U.S. national team, earning three U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year honors (2017, 2019, 2021) and placing him fifth on the all-time USMNT scoring list.
Despite that pedigree, Pulisic hasn't scored for the Stars and Stripes since netting a brace in a Concacaf Nations League victory over Jamaica in late November 2024. His last goal in any competition came at the club level, when he scored for AC Milan in Serie A on Dec. 28.
Adding to the scrutiny, Pochettino's assessment follows Pulisic being notably left off The Guardian's Top 100 male soccer players of 2025 list earlier this year.
Pulisic's urgency was on full display Tuesday, as he looked to reverse his recent struggles and help lift the team's morale after a humiliating 5–2 loss to Belgium over the weekend. The forward repeatedly pushed into Portugal's final third, receiving ball after ball from wingers Malik Tillman and Tim Weah; yet Pulisic was unable to carve out a clear chance, his play defined more by frantic effort than composure. He registered three shots—two of which were blocked and one that went wide.
What Do Pochettino, Pulisic Say About the Goal Drought?
Pulisic maintains that a breakthrough is on the horizon.
"Physically, I feel really good and really sharp," Pulisic told TNT immediately after the match. "I have to help my team to get assists and score goals and create chances, and obviously when I don't do that it's frustrating. But I feel that I'm close.
"Of course it's frustrating, but I'm just gonna stay positive," Pulisic added at the postgame press conference. "A lot of big things ahead, and I know when we get to the other side, things are gonna click."
Pochettino struck a similarly upbeat tone after the game. "I think [Pulisic] was very active and he did a good job. He was involved in [a lot] of actions. It was a shame he didn't score with the opportunities he had, but it's normal he was a little frustrated, but I think we were a little bit frustrated the whole game."
Pulisic will get another chance to find his form when the U.S. resumes action in late May for a pair of friendlies against Senegal and Germany—the final preparations before the World Cup, where the USMNT opens play on June 12 against Paraguay in Group D.