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While the U.S. men's national team enjoyed a flawless September-October international window, Christian Pulisic was left watching events unfold from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Unlike previous call-up periods, the 28-year-old wasn't sidelined by injury or returning from a recent setback. Pulisic was completely healthy and prepared to don the Stars and Stripes in friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada.
Yet Mauricio Pochettino left the AC Milan star out of his plans, along with Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie. The Argentine head coach instead placed his confidence in a host of young talent, summoning eight teenagers and 13 first-time call-ups for the opening international window following the 2026 World Cup.
Four matches and four victories later, Pulisic has barely been mentioned, leaving the former face of the program in a state of complete limbo.
A Damning Two Years for Pulisic
When Pochettino assumed control of the USMNT in September 2024, Pulisic stood as the team's undisputed leader. He was fresh off an outstanding debut campaign at Milan and was among the few Americans to emerge relatively unharmed from a disastrous Copa América run that summer.
Despite some injury interruptions, Pulisic made a solid start under Pochettino's guidance. The attacker contributed one goal and two assists across three appearances to wrap up 2024, helping the Stars and Stripes reach the 2024–25 Concacaf Nations League semifinals.
Once 2025 arrived, things took a sharp turn for the worse. Further fitness issues, paired with two dismal outings against Panama and Canada in the Concacaf Nations League, caused Pulisic's standing to drop sharply.
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Compounding the steep decline was his choice to withdraw from the Gold Cup to focus on rest and preparation ahead of the 2025–26 season. Pulisic was determined to be at peak fitness for the upcoming World Cup on home soil, but what followed was far from that.
The former Chelsea midfielder managed just one assist in his next six USMNT appearances, all while enduring a career-worst scoring drought at Milan in the back half of 2025–26. A goal against Senegal in a World Cup warm-up finally snapped the miserable run, only for his struggles to resurface during the summer's marquee tournament.
He contributed just one assist across four appearances at the 2026 World Cup — the same number of goal involvements as defender Auston Trusty. Pulisic was dealing with injury throughout the competition, but underperforming on the world's biggest stage was the last thing he needed following such a difficult stretch with the national team.
Pochettino Is Hardly to Blame
It would be tempting to hold Pochettino responsible for Pulisic's underwhelming output. After all, the Argentine's predecessors consistently got the best from Pulisic, while he has overseen just two goals across two years from the Champions League winner.
That surface-level argument quickly falls apart, however, when examining how Pochettino brings out the best in his players in red, white and blue. The manager guided a squad largely composed of lesser-known MLS players all the way to the Gold Cup final. He drew the very best from Balogun up front this summer, as well as from Malik Tillman, Tyler Adams and Freeman.
During the September-October international break, Pochettino watched Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall and Justin Ellis — three teenagers far below Pulisic's profile — combine for six of his team's 12 goals. The Stars and Stripes also conceded just three goals across their four victories against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada.
Naturally, the fractured relationship between Pochettino and Pulisic may be a factor in the forward's dip in form — but what was Pulisic's excuse last year with the Rossoneri? And what explains his slow start to this season, when new Milan boss Ruben Amorim kept him on the bench for three consecutive matches?
The USMNT is entering a new chapter, one driven by young, energetic and passionate players who are willing to give everything for the badge. Whether it's a friendly, the Gold Cup or the World Cup, the fresh wave of talent at Pochettino's disposal — alongside veterans like Adams and Chris Richards — are hungry to play every possible minute for their country.
Pulisic may share that desire despite his earlier reluctance, but the decision is no longer his to make — especially after the team posted four convincing wins without him playing a single minute.
What Comes Next for Pulisic With the USMNT?
Despite the USMNT's impressive form during this international break, it would be a significant — and premature — leap to declare this the end of Pulisic's career in red, white and blue. The 28-year-old is just 10 caps short of reaching the century mark with the Stars and Stripes and ranks as the team's fifth all-time top scorer with 33 international goals.
There will come a moment, perhaps as soon as the November international break, when Pulisic pulls on the national team shirt again. But the landscape has shifted.
Pulisic's reputation and past achievements are no longer sufficient to secure him a guaranteed spot in Pochettino's starting lineup. In reality, many of those past performances are now working against him. The output simply isn't there right now, and when others can offer greater creativity or a sharper finishing touch in the final third, it becomes an easy call for Pochettino to leave the 28-year-old out.
Pulisic must battle his way back into the picture and make it impossible for Pochettino to ignore him. Should the Pennsylvania native refocus and rediscover his scoring touch, he could seamlessly slot back into the USMNT setup and elevate an already potent side.
But the burden falls squarely on Pulisic to deliver. With Sullivan and Hall both capable of operating on the left wing, the man once dubbed "Captain America" faces more competition for his position than at any point in his career.
It's difficult to picture Pulisic in his current predicament given his remarkable rise with the USMNT, but his future remains entirely in his own hands — or more precisely, his right foot.