Christian Pulisic admits worrying Mauricio Pochettino disagreement after missing latest USMNT games

Daily Mail​

a day ago

AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic revealed that his decision to sit out the Gold Cup this summer for the United States came after his request to be included for a pair of friendly matches.
The 26-year-old Pennsylvania native told US Soccer that he didn't wish to take part in this summer's Gold Cup proceedings after a lengthy club season that left him in need of recovery.
Pulisic's move has been the subject of controversy among US Soccer fans and former players for weeks since the nature of his non-inclusion was revealed.
But speaking to the 'Call it What You Want' podcast from CBS, Pulisic indicated that he asked to be a part of the team for their friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland - but was denied.
Pulisic then said that he didn't understand why head coach Mauricio Pochettino wouldn't include him for the friendlies.
'So obviously, it sucks for me to miss out with the team,' Pulisic began. 'I want to be a part of the team always. But to be honest, towards the second half and towards the end of the season, my body just started talking to me and my mind, and then I started to think, what is best and what is going to be best for me leading into next year and going into the World Cup?
"I did want to be a part of at least the two friendlies, but they said no... I had to make the best decision for myself and, in the long run, for my team."
Christian Pulisic opens up on his decision to sit out the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/kLVM8ynJtY
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'And was that to play eight more games and then get no rest at all, go straight into preseason and then grind another year and go straight into the World Cup? That's not what I felt was best for my body.
'But the only point that I would make with that is that I did want to be a part of at least the two friendlies. I did speak with the coaches and I asked, and I wanted to be a part of the team in whatever capacity I could.
'And they said no. They said they only wanted one roster, and that's the coach's decision. I fully respect that. I didn't understand it, but it is what it is. I wanted to be a part of that.
'But yeah, that's just the way things went, and I had to make the best decision for myself and also in the long run for my team, even though clearly some people haven't seen it that way.'
One of the hosts of the podcast, Jimmy Conrad, drew from personal experience with the USMNT where he requested some time off and was then 'frozen out' of the roster by then-coach Bob Bradley.
Conrad then asked Pulisic why he felt that depriving himself of the final chance to play competitive football with the USMNT before the World Cup was beneficial.
'I think I was pretty clear I knew how I was feeling towards the end of last season,' Pulisic said.
'I was dealing with a couple of small things that just kept on lingering and to go on and straight into the summer and play for up to six weeks and then go directly into preseason with my team and get no rest and then go straight into the next season and straight into the World Cup. I had to make a decision, and this is what I feel is best for myself, and like I said, ultimately best for the team.
'Yeah, with everyone, people can question my decision. I just don't understand why also so many people are so big on just wanting to give out these takes when they've been through tough moments themselves.
'I don't understand the idea of wanting to divide this fan base against the players, against the team, and bring a negative light over it in any way. But we tend to do that a lot, and it doesn't make sense to me.
'But truly, I don't let it affect too much. And this is the right decision, like I said, for myself and for the team at the end of the day and people will see that.'
DailyMail.com has contacted US Soccer for comment on this matter.
The USMNT had a worrying start to their summer which showed plenty of deficiencies in their squad selected for the Gold Cup - one missing plenty of starters, including Pulisic.
After being dominated for most of their 2-1 defeat to Turkey in Connecticut, the team followed that up with an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Switzerland in Nashville.