For the first time of the Mauricio Pochettino-era, Christian Pulisic wore the captain’s armband on Sunday night, however things did not improve for him or the U.S. men’s national team.
Pulisic started and played 69 minutes in the USMNT’s 2-1 loss to the Canada in the third place match of the CONCACAF Nations League. The 26-year-old was ineffective in the match, creating zero offensive chances, having just 21 touches, and registering zero shots on goal.
Sunday’s performance was the second-consecutive quiet outing for Pulisic, who admitted frustration in his postmatch interview with CBS Sports.
“We’re obviously disappointed, we will go talk about it but we got to come back from this,” Pulisic said. We’re not at our best at the moment.
“Now all we can do is be an example at our clubs and be the best that we can be there,” he added. “When we come back, some things need to change and we need to improve. We are going to look back at it but I don’t have all the answers at the moment.”
Pulisic has enjoyed a productive season with AC Milan, but hasn’t been able to translate that success over to the international level in 2025. His continuous shift from a wing role to the No. 10 could play a slight part in that lack of production, but Pulisic overall will need to remain flexible for club and country.
Ultimately getting Pulisic in dangerous spaces will certainly benefit him and the USMNT, something he admitted did not happen a lot against Panama or Canada.
“I like playing in that role a lot,” Pulisic said. “The last two games I didn’t see as much of the ball as I would’ve liked but I feel comfortable in the role.”
Pulisic remains a vital part of the USMNT program heading into the busy summer schedule. Whether it is the Gold Cup or the friendlies leading up to the tournament, the USMNT will rely heavily on Pulisic’s talents to lead the way.
After captaining his country for the 28th time on Sunday, Pulisic voiced his love for the program and how special it has been to continue being a part of it.
“This team is everything to me, I care so much for this team and country. I hope people know that about me. It’s such an honor every time I can do it.”
