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Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Christian Pulisic admits worrying Mauricio Pochettino disagreement after missing latest USMNT games
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 🇺🇸 — Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) June 12, 2025 '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.' 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.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Christian Pulisic says questioning his commitment to US is ‘totally out of line'
Christian Pulisic said that he asked the US national team coaching staff to be part of the two friendlies preceding the Gold Cup but not the Gold Cup itself – a proposal that was rejected – and defended his decision to step away from the US national team this summer in an interview on Thursday. The interview, which occurred on a live stream of CBS Sports' Call it What You Want podcast, started with Pulisic describing his status at the end of the season with Milan, the second straight campaign that saw him reach the 50-games played mark. Saying that 'my body started talking to me,' Pulisic said he started considering that a break in action may be needed towards the end of the Milan season, with two US friendlies and the Gold Cup on the horizon. Advertisement Related: Mauricio Pochettino said the US can win the World Cup. Now they can't even win a game 'What is going to be best for me leading into next year and going into the [2026] World Cup? And was that to play eight more games and then get no no rest at all, go straight into preseason and then grind another year and go straight into the World Cup? That's it's not what I felt was best for my body,' Pulisic said. 'I did want to be a part of at least the two friendlies. I did speak with the [US] coaches, and I asked, and [said] 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 coaches decision. I fully respect that. I didn't understand it, but it is what it is.' As it turned out, Pulisic was just one of a number of US national team star players who would be absent this summer, either due to injury, Club World Cup commitments, or personal reasons. But as his nation's most prominent player and a leader in the locker room, Pulisic's decision drew plenty of criticism, including from former USMNT greats Landon Donovan and Tim Howard. Pulisic directly addressed this criticism, saying that questioning his commitment to the national team was 'way out of line' and does not line up with conversations he has had with those same figures in private. Advertisement 'When it comes to [Donovan, Howard, and other ex-national team critics], it is tough because I looked up to those guys growing up. Some of these guys were my idols, and I respect them so much as players,' Pulisic said. 'Privately, the way they talk to me and clearly want to show support and be your friend and everything, and then they say something slightly different publicly. … Does it hurt me? Am I surprised by it? I don't know. Not really. People are always going to have their opinions.' Pulisic's father Mark responded forcefully to Donovan on social media, telling the former US player to 'grow a pair' while pointing out that Donovan himself once took an extended sabbatical from national team duty. In the CBS interview, Christian Pulisic was not asked about his father's comments, but added that 'I just don't understand why 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 fanbase against the players, against the team, and bring it a negative light over it in any way. But we tend to do that a lot, and it doesn't make sense to me.' The US has struggled in its summer slate so far, losing 2-1 to Turkey before being battered 4-0 by Switzerland with a roster that reaches fairly deep into the US player pool. These losses follow a poor Nations League performance that involved Pulisic and most of the team's top players, in which the team lost to Canada and Panama en route to a fourth-placed finish. Pulisic said criticism of himself and the players' supposed lack of commitment in these losses was a 'lazy take.' 'We don't step out there and not give 100% it's just not, it's not something that we do,' he said. 'We we all want it so bad.'
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Live: Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl, her outfit, plus Ice Spice, Kelce fam, others in suite.
USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. NEW ORLEANS - What if we told you she's back? Taylor Swift is in white at the Super Bowl. Is this an Easter Egg? Is this an engagement announcement? Will there be a proposal? Swifties are losing their minds. Is the T chain a nod to her 2017 song "Call it What You Want" with the lyrics: I want to wear his initialOn a chain 'round my neck. And Swift brought along her famous pals to watch the game. Swift is 2-for-2 when it comes to making it to the Super Bowl. The singer who penned the song "Fifteen" in 2006 wrote, "in your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team." It's true. See: The Eras Tour. But we must admit it's been fun to follow her journey supporting beau Travis Kelce in his three-peat bid as tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs. We are here for her fashion, celebrity friends and celebratory dances. Ehsan Kassim from USA TODAY Sports is reporting all the trends while Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West reports live from the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. 'Cause let's be honest, we're here for not for the "three-peat" but the "Tay-pete." Do you care about the actual game? Then why are you here? Check our Super Bowl 59 live updates We aren't disappointed. The first Taylor sighting on FOX shows her in a white couble-breasted blazer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carolina Heather Avakemian (@theerastourinfo) 🚨| Taylor Swift arriving to the #SuperBowl !!! — Taylor Swift Updates (@TSUpdating) February 9, 2025 Taylor is wearing the T initial chain from the Grammys as a necklace vs her upper thigh! 🥺🤍 #SuperBowl — Taylor Swift Updates (@SwiftNYC) February 9, 2025 Swift is wearing a white double breasted blazer with her signature red lip. She is in white, just like the Chiefs. She also rocked white, thigh-high boots. And is that the T from her thigh-necklace from the Grammys around her neck? T could be for Travis, Taylor, maybe three-peat Do you have a favorite look from this season? We're sticking with the Vivienne Westwood plaid dress from the Oct. 7 game agains the New Orleans Saints. We have spied Donna Kelce, Jason and Kylie Kelce, Swift's friend Ashley Avignone, Ice Spice (maybe she also was good luck last year!), the Haim sisters - and we'll keep udpating you. hello — NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2025 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mariah Frazee - Maks Mama (@ Taylor Swift's boyfriend walking into the dome is all swagger. Somehow, instead of "Bad Blood" which FOX played in the broadcast, we're hearing, "Stayin' Alive." And we're thinking about the AFC Championship game, where he sang KC and the Sunshine Band's 'Get Down Tonight' The head-to-toe look from Amiri's fall 2025 collection was topped with a brooch of a rose. And we're loving all of it. It's a very sexy vibe. Is it a clue as to what we'll see Taylor wearing? Chiefs star players' Super Bowl outfits Watch Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes walk in In a way less exciting outfit, Travis Kelce takes the field in his red football pants and a white T-shirt to Post Malone's "Circles." It pays to best friends with Taylor Swift. And we're going to take a wild guess and say we don't think we'll see Blake Lively in the suite this year. So who's on the vaunted shortlist to join Swift as she cheers on her beau, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in a suite against the Philadelphia Eagles? She was spotted at dinner with the Haim sisters in New Orleans leading up to the game, and they are frequently spotted with Swift. So they might be a favorite. Swift has watched games with her parents and Kelce's parents, so let's add them. With Jason Kelce not playing in this game, do we think he and Kylie will be there? Odds are yes. Kylie Kelce was reportedly also at that dinner. We're going to say no on Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, even though they've watched the games together before. With the drama around the Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuit, maybe it's Bad Blood? Or maybe the distraction isn't needed. With strategic stories about Swift and Selena Gomez hanging in LA and "giggling" through dinner, we are putting bets on Gomez and fiancée Benny Blanco, too. While we saw Taylor raising her champagne glass to Jay-Z at the Grammys after Beyoncé's AOTY win, and Jay-Z is on the sidelines before the game, we aren't placing any bets that they will be in the Taylor suite. But think of the star power if they were? (Would anyone remember the president attended the game?) The Jay-Z founded Roc Nation produces the Super Bowl half-time show. Earlier this week, Travis Kelce was asked about Taylor Swift pantomiming throwing a football, mouthing "touchdown" and holding up a three for a third Super Bowl win during her Eras Tour show at the Caesars Superdome back in the fall. Fans think the singer may have manifested some of the Chiefs' success, and Kelce didn't knock down the idea. Capture the alchemy with this special edition "We love to manifest things, for sure, and you can't say it's not real, because we're here, right?" Kelce told reporters at the stadium on Monday. "Whatever she was doing, I'm sure it helped." View this post on Instagram A post shared by USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) Stay lightning on your feet: Get Swift news delivered to your inbox every Friday It's impossible to miss Jake Duhaime walking into the Super Bowl. The Boston marketing executive has been wearing his golden, spangly blazer on the streets of New Orleans and aisles of Radio Row. The jacket has a red-and-yellow fleur-de-lis. The sleeves read "Dynasty (Taylor's Version)" and "Tay-Peat (Taylor's Version)." And then there's the bright, white "Tayvoodoo" across the chest. "I also put up a billboard in Philadelphia," Duhaime says. To troll Eagles fans, he partnered with Tasty Clean, an edible cleaning spray company in Dallas, to buy a "Hey Philly, Tayvoodoo is real" billboard along Interstate 95. "Alchemy becomes reality on 02.09.25" the $3,000 sign next to Lincoln Financial Field reads. We'll see if the Tayvoodoo is in full force at the Super Bowl matchup. Swift may be in the minority with Chiefs fans in the Caesars Superdome. According to VividSeats, 56% of the crowd will join Kylie and Jason Kelce in rooting for the birds. Prices on the ticket marketplace are hovering between $1,950 and $2,200 for the upper level. Swift is expected to be in a suite, like last year. Confirmed360, a concierge service, tells USA TODAY that the luxury boxes were going for $500,000 to $3 million. We know Kaitlin Olson from "High Potential" is a big Eagles fan, and was even the first guest on Kylie Kelce's podcast "Not Gonna Lie." Other celebs who cheer for the Eagles, and maybe will be at the game, include: Will Smith Kevin Hart Quinta Brunson Tina Fey Lil Uzi Vert Miles Teller Pink Meek Mill Keke Palmer Questlove Sylvester Stallone "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" stars Rob McElhenney and Danny DeVito Kelly Ripa If the Chiefs pull out a third win, it seems likely there will be baked goods, made by Swift, delivered to the team. "She bakes different things and brings them in for the players and coaches. I think it's brought some fun and some excitement into it the last couple of years," says Ryan Reynolds, not the actor but the head strength and conditioning coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Reynolds has been with the organization for nine years and says Swift has brought a fun, new energy to the team. "She's integrated herself into the team, and it's been good," he says, admitting he enjoys her homemade Pop-Tarts. The narrative for Swift's boyfriend, Kansas City Chief's tight end Travis Kelce, has taken a step back in his 12th season in his enchanted NFL career. Some have even blamed the Traylor effect. However, the 35-year-old uses the narrative to keep him going during the Chiefs' playoff run, which USA TODAY's Nate Davis explores in his feature from the Super Bowl. "Kelce has seven catches for 125 yards and a touchdown in Kansas City's Divisional Round win vs. the Houston Texans. Kelce motivates his younger teammates and remains quarterback Patrick Mahomes' favorite target in clutch moments." To start Super Bowl week, Swift wore a gorgeous red asymmetrical dress to the Grammy Awards. Swifties surmised the "T" dangling across her left upper thigh stood for "Taylor" or "Travis." Maybe it's a mix of those and also "three-peat" or "third" win? Either way, here's a look at all the best photos of the "Red" singer from last weekend. We're looking forward to seeing what she wears to Super Bowl 59. Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat. Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Live from New Orleans: Taylor Swift at Super Bowl 59
