Christian Pulisic is facing criticism following the U.S. Men's National Team's (USMNT) disappointing 4-1 loss to Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16. The defeat marked the end of a tournament that began with high expectations for the American squad.
Pulisic, widely considered the team's most high-profile player, struggled to make a significant impact in the decisive match. "We didn’t see enough from him in this particular game, and really the whole World Cup," said former U.S. Women's National Team star Carli Lloyd. "Little glimpses here and there."
The AC Milan forward's World Cup campaign was hampered by injuries. He suffered a calf injury in the group stage, missed a subsequent match, and returned as a reserve against Turkey. In the game against Belgium, Pulisic "totally twisted" his ankle in the second half while the U.S. was trailing 2-1, exiting the match in the 59th minute. He finished the tournament with one assist and no goals.
Commentators and analysts pointed to Pulisic's limited influence and perceived fragility as contributing factors to the team's early exit. Sports personality Nick Wright noted on X that the player "made almost zero impact outside of the first half of the first game, and then begged out in the biggest game of his career." Colin Cowherd described Pulisic as "a slight player" who is "always been fragile" and suggested he "didn’t play with any confidence today."
This latest World Cup disappointment adds to a pattern for Pulisic and the USMNT. The team failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Pulisic's first potential tournament. In 2022, the team was eliminated in the Round of 16 by the Netherlands. With the 2030 World Cup on the horizon, questions are being raised about Pulisic's legacy and the team's overall progress. "When you say, OK, his legacy, Christian Pulisic, the golden era, it’s not what we thought it would be or not what we needed it to be," said Fox Sports Radio's Jason Smith. "The hype for him and what we thought he could do … he’s just been OK and he’s been injured. The whole Christian Pulisic era is underachieving."