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20h ago

Pulisic Defends Gold Cup Absence as USMNT Lose Fourth Straight Friendly

He argues that resting now is vital for his performance at next summer’s World Cup

Mar 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; United States of America forward Christian Pulisic (10) kicks th eblal past Canada midfielder Ismael Kone (8) in the first half during the Concacaf Nations League third place match at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images/File Photo
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Overview

  • Christian Pulisic said questioning his national team commitment was “way out of line” after he opted out of the Gold Cup to rest
  • Former USMNT stars Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas publicly criticized Pulisic’s absence despite privately offering support
  • Pulisic offered to play in recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland but coach Mauricio Pochettino kept him out of the roster
  • The USMNT suffered a fourth consecutive defeat with a 4-0 friendly loss to Switzerland as several regulars rest or recover
  • Young and fringe players will form the bulk of the Gold Cup squad, providing opportunities to stake a claim for the 2026 World Cup roster