USMNT Coach Pochettino Must Play A Delicate Balancing Act With Pulisic

AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 12: United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino greets Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States as he is subbed off during a game against Panama at Q2 Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Logan Riely/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Getty Images for USSF

As of Sunday, Nov. 30, there were 194 days until June 12, when the U.S. Men’s National Team kicks off against an opponent to be determined at the 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles.

Much is at stake when the Americans embark on their 11th World Cup appearance (out of 23 tournaments since 1930).

Of course, there is national pride. But there is more.

The first obvious goal is to avoid becoming the second host country to fail to reach the knockout round. South Africa holds the dubious distinction, falling short at the 2010 competition.

Then there is the pressure of playing well and going deep in the World Cup.

Which usually hasn’t been the history since the USA qualified in 1990, breaking 40 years in the international soccer desert. Outside of the 1930 World Cup, when the U.S. reached the semifinals (13 teams competed in that tournament), the Americans have qualified for the quarterfinals but once, at the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan.

It was the second round and then the door in the 1994, 2010, 2014 and 2022 World Cups.

For the USMNT to accomplish that, it must be running on all cylinders, with the best possible lineup and bench.

As we have learned from past tournaments, very few, if any teams will enter a competition with their full complement of players healthy or in form.

Like it or not, injuries will pop up at the most inopportune times. Players will fall short of their expectations and won’t even be selected for the team.

The main man

Which brings us to one Christian Pulisic.

As the USA’s talisman, the Hershey, Pa. native has been put under a super microscope as every game, goal, miss and injury is analyzed and scrutinized to the nth degree.

Like it or not, that is what players and coaches must deal with in the age of ultra-social media.

On Saturday, Nov. 29, A.C. Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri had Pulisic sit out its Italian Serie A encounter with Lazio as a precaution, due to muscle discomfort the forward felt earlier in the week.

Pulisic’s absence didn’t hurt Milan at all, as the Rossoneri defeated Lazio and moved atop the Serie table with an 8-1-4 mark and 28 points, by goal differential (plus 10 to plus nine, ahead of Napoli (9-3-1, 28).

The specter of injuries

It should be noted that Pulisic suffered a low-grade tear in his right hamstring in the first half of the U.S. men’s national team’s 2-1 friendly win over Australia on Oct. 17. He was forced to sit out a few club games.

Given his ability to break opposing defenses and score and set up goals, Pulisic is a vital commodity for both club and country.

Pulisic has been a part of nine goals in 10 appearances for A.C. Milan this season, which includes Serie A and Coppa Italia matches, according to FootyStats.org. Broken down, that’s five goals and two assists in eight Serie A matches, and two goals in as many Coppa Italia contests.

Contribution No. 9 came last Sunday, Nov. 23, when Pulisic struck for the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over archrival Inter Milan.

It was Pulisic’s fifth goal of the season, tying him with Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu and Bologna’s Riccardo Orsolini at the time, despite missing a month of the season with a hamstring injury he suffered with the U.S. squad in October.

Allegri knows that one game, no matter how vital it is, does not make a season.

So does Pochettino.

The coach understands

Pochettino let Pulisic sit out the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer.

While many soccer observers and USMNT legends thought it was heresy for Pulisic to sit out such a tournament.

Pulisic said he needed rest.

It wasn’t the end of the world.

The Gold Cup, which has been reduced to a secondary competition by many U.S. coaches in recent years, is not an end-all for the team.

The World Cup, however, is.

Until he is dethroned or retires, Pulisic is the USA’s best chance for success, especially when healthy.

Better be safe than sorry

Pochettino did not call Pulisic in for the November friendlies because he didn’t want to risk his star player.

“It’s common sense not to call a player that maybe is coming from … a small issue,” he was The Athletic. “It’s to provide him the possibility to recover 100 percent, be full and be ready to play after the international duty with his team. That is common sense. We never risk players.”

Again, not the end of the world.

Yes, U.S. soccer supporters want all the players performing together to become a more cohesive force. But the worst-case scenario would be having an underperforming or broken-down Pulisic wearing the Red, White and Blue.

While many fans think players are like their video game avatars and can be used forever, they cannot.

They are mortal. They get injuries. They get knocks. They have off-the-pitch problems we never hear of.

The next time the USMNT will get together will be during the FIFA international window from March 23-31. Expect the USMNT to play twice on American soil.

Assuming he is healthy, there are expectations that Pulisic will be called into the team. It would be too close to the World Cup not to have the team’s best players see action in friendlies, especially with every position up for grabs.

Pulisic, who has tallied 32 times in 82 appearances for the USMNT, is 27, which is a prime time for attacking players.

This is his time

By the time the next World Cup rolls around in 2030, he will be 31 and could be past his prime and his effectiveness at the world-class level.

International soccer can be unforgiving, especially to attacking players.

While their teams are performing in different competitions, the goals for Allegri and Pochettino are the same: Keep Pulisic healthy because he means so much for both teams.

Pochettino knows that as he hopes when the A.C. Milan season concludes in its 38th league match against Cagliari on May 24, Christian Pulisic will join his team relatively in one piece for what could be his tournament of a lifetime.

Michael Lewis, who has been selected by the United Soccer Coaches as the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award, who will be honored at the organization’s convention in January. He can be followed on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky at @soccerwriter.