Pulisic Faces Pressure in 2026 FIFA World Cup

Christian Pulisic, a key player for the United States men’s national team, faces unexpected challenges in the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup. A calf injury occurred during training and worsened during the team’s opening victory over Paraguay on June 12.

Due to this injury, Pulisic missed the match against Australia on June 19. Although he returned to the starting lineup for two subsequent games, he hasn’t reached optimal performance. During the 2-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, Pulisic’s limited contribution drew criticism.

Gregg Berhalter, former USMNT head coach and current Chicago Fire head coach, suggests that tactical issues play a role in Pulisic’s performance. Speaking on FanDuel’s “Coaches Corner” on July 2, Berhalter stated, “Stay wide, get the ball, take the opponent on, and have players running from there. I don’t think we did that enough. I don’t think there was enough intention to get Christian the ball in those positions to really set him loose.”

Before the World Cup, Pulisic drew scrutiny as he had not scored for AC Milan or the USMNT during the first half of 2026. Despite this, he remains ready to face the pressure. In an interview with Newsweek on June 4, Pulisic mentioned, “It’s just keeping up my routine. For me, having my support system around is what helps me the most. It allows me to honestly take my mind off the game. That’s the easiest thing for me — talking to my best friends and family. Sometimes, allowing myself to be a bit distracted because when I overthink it, that’s when things get worse.”

The USMNT will depend heavily on Pulisic in their upcoming match against Belgium in the Round of 16 on July 6 in Seattle. Folarin Balogun, the team’s top scorer during this World Cup, received a red card in the Bosnia match and will be unavailable against Belgium. A win against Belgium would mean the USMNT reaches the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. The team has not progressed past the quarterfinals since the inaugural 1930 World Cup.

Pulisic didn’t choose the “Captain America” moniker, yet the time has arrived to embrace the role.