In 2022, Christian Pulisic never looked happier. The U.S. national team headliner was sat at a podium in a tent next to the Americans’ training base in Qatar basking in the glory of his first World Cup goal — a game winner against Iran that sent the Americans to the round of 16. Normally almost painfully reserved, Pulisic was all smiles as he joked with reporters in the room. The contrast was stark a few days later, when a devastated Pulisic, with tears in his eyes and his voice barley above a whisper, blamed himself for missing a potentially outcome-altering chance early against the Netherlands before the U.S. was eliminated by the powerful Dutch. Like many elite soccer players, Pulisic is streaky. When he’s up, he’s the most dynamic attacking player the country has ever produced, a truly world-class talent who can win matches at the highest level all by himself. When he’s down — right now, the 27-year-old is mired in a 17-game goalless streak for the U.S. and Italian club AC Milan — Pulisic is a shell of his best self. Pulisic was at the height of his powers earlier this season when, despite playing mostly as a winger or play-making midfielder, he had the best goals-to-minutes ratio of any player in Serie A. His current drought isn’t even the longest of his career. He went 21 games between goals with Chelsea in 2020-21 but ended the season in triumph, scoring against Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals as the Blues went on to win Europe’s most coveted trophy. The following year, his last in London, Pulisic didn’t score in his final 20 appearances. “Like, I know a ball will hit off my knee and go in and then things will change,” Pulisic said in Atlanta last month after a 5-2 loss to Belgium in a World Cup warmup. “I’m not gonna panic. Better now than in the summer. Things are going to change.” They haven’t in his four games since. May is just around the corner. Summer will be here in a flash. Fun as it is to dig into the weeds and argue about who’ll be the 25th or 26th player on Mauricio Pochettino’s World Cup roster, how far the tournament co-hosts go on home soil hinges on the performance of its best players, Pulisic chief among them. His next chance comes on Sunday, when the Rossoneri welcome rivals Juventus and fellow USA star Weston McKennie to the San Siro. For Pulisic, Pochettino and U.S. fans, his next goal can’t arrive soon enough. With just over a month to go until Pochettino drops the Americans’…
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2026-04-24 01:23:41
