Latest news with #ChristianPulisic
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Donovan Backs Christian Pulisic After Recent Fallout With Pochettino
(CAIRATE, ITALY : Christian Pulisic of AC Milan in action during an AC Milan training session at Milanello sports center in Cairate, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images) ) (CAIRATE, ITALY : Christian Pulisic of AC Milan in action during an AC Milan training session at Milanello sports center in Cairate, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images) ) Donovan Backs Christian Pulisic After Recent Fallout With Pochettino originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Christian Pulisic opted out of the Gold Cup, citing fatigue after the European season with Milan ended. His decision sparked a major backlash from USMNT fans, former players, and legends. Now, following the tournament, Landon Donovan reflected on just how important Pulisic really is for the national team. Advertisement Arguably the best American winger in the world, Christian Pulisic built his career at European giants like Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, and Milan. He's also been a captain for the USMNT alongside Tyler Adams and veteran Tim Ream. His absence in the Gold Cup opened the door for younger players like Diego Luna, who took over the iconic number 10 shirt. Donovan was initially critical of Pulisic's choice to sit out, but after the 2-1 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final, he acknowledged the crucial role Pulisic plays for the team. 'The reality is: Christian is the best player on the team. And honestly, it's not even close. Given everything he's done and what he's still capable of, maybe this was just a major misstep—a big hole in the middle of all his efforts. Now, he has to figure out how to move forward and reflect on it. But that's exactly why he was able to make such an impact - maybe not in the first game, but eventually, we all saw it unfold.' - Landon Donovan on Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard For the USMNT, Pulisic has played 78 games, scored 32 goals, and assisted 18 times -numbers no other American player comes close to matching. He creates chances coming down the left wing, sometimes drifting inside, and can finish with either foot. Advertisement While Diego Luna stepped up as the team's number 10 and delivered impressive stats, once Pulisic returns, the shirt and position are likely his to reclaim. Mauricio Pochettino could find a way to play both together, but that might sacrifice some bench depth. What's next for Pulisic and the USMNT? The USMNT won't play again until September, with friendlies scheduled against South Korea and Japan. Both teams will provide tough tests after the Gold Cup. South Korea could feature stars like Heung-min Son (Tottenham), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Lee Kang-in (PSG), and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves), offering Pochettino a solid challenge as he narrows down his squad for the 2026 World Cup. Advertisement Japan, meanwhile, is an even tougher opponent. The two countries have faced off three times recently, with Japan winning twice - including a 2-0 victory in 2022. Japan has steadily grown its roster of players competing at top clubs around the world, raising the bar for the USMNT. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
NBC Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
USMNT squad projections for the 2026 World Cup — Who's in? Who's out?
The United States men's national team will hope that one year from today it will be discussing its recent World Cup quarterfinal appearance, hopefully with eyes on the semifinal stage set for July 14 and 15 of 2026. Yep. That soon. MORE — Latest Premier League transfers, Summer 2025 This was expected to be a huge summer of preparation but it turned into more of a depth test. The Club World Cup kept several players with their clubs, others were suffering from long-term injuries, and the program's most important player opted to take the summer away from the team. Whether you agreed with Christian Pulisic's decision or were infuriated by it, this was decidedly not the first full-strength USMNT at the Gold Cup in decades. It was a B- or even B-minus team. So what do we know about next summer's World Cup roster under Mauricio Pochettino. Some roster spots were likely earned (Matt Freese) while others were cemented, tattooed, or written in permanent marker (Malik Tillman). Let's update our projections with an eye for variables and eventually... a Starting XI. How many USMNT roster spots are nailed-on for the World Cup? Given the above, the educated guess would be that there are fewer roster spots available for next summer than there were before this summer's action began for the USMNT. But has the number changed that much? Sure a bunch of players really impressed at the Gold Cup, but some of the players left out of the squad were truly surprises and others like Johnny Cardoso played a lot less than expected under Pochettino. The shallow nature of the goalkeeping pool without a Tim Howard or Kasey Keller in sight left the competition for the starting spot wide open, but it's difficult to see either Gold Cup starter Matt Freese or World Cup-experienced keeper Matt Turner missing out on the World Cup. Antonee Robinson and Christian Pulisic are no-brainers despite missing out this summer, while Chris Richards, Tim Ream, and Malik Tillman locked down their places this summer. Tyler Adams is a guaranteed roster man, too, while Timothy Weah, Folarin Balogun, and Sergino Dest are very likely, too. There's a risk of recency bias, but Pochettino's Gold Cup trust of Patrick Agyemang and Luca de la Torre bode well for them. Others are close. The biggest question marks? Center back #4 and the final slots for center midfield and center forward. USMNT squad projection for 2026 World Cup Goalkeepers (3) The third spot after Turner and Freese feels like a real wild card. Zack Steffen has experience and is playing well for Colorado, while Ethan Horvath and Sean Johnson also boast experience. A young buck could also be called in to earn experience behind Turner and Freese, and Gaga Slonina, Diego Kochen, Gavin Beavers, or Chris Brady could fit the bill. Projection: Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea) Defenders (8) The guess here might normally be four center backs and four full backs, but the midfield and forward pools' versatility especially at right back (Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Timothy Weah) could lend an extra center back place to the group. Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, and Tim Ream are nailed-on right now, and a healthy Sergino Dest sure would feel like a certainty. Projection: Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Sergino Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati) Midfielders (7) Tillman locked up a place in the 26 and it would almost be surprising if he wasn't starting in the midfield. Adams will be there, too. Cardoso's summer playing time might breed questions about his starting potential, but his transferring to Atletico Madrid and somehow falling out of the 26 would be wild. Pochettino's had some comments that seemed to aim criticism toward Weston McKennie types, but he'll be there. Projection: Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven), Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps) Forwards (9) Pulisic, Weah, and Luna might be billed as midfielders elsewhere but we're counting the two wingers along with center forwards in this positional group. Balogun and Agyemang will have every chance to stand tall atop the XI. There's going to be a surprise here, and while his name wouldn't have counted as a shock about a year ago, look for Kevin Paredes of Wolfsburg's return to health as an X-factor. Projection: Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Timothy Weah (Juventus), Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), Sargent, Wright, Reyna, Tessmann, Busio, Fossey, Wiley, Trusty, Scally, Downs, Aaronson, McGlynn, M. Robinson, Zimmerman, Freeman, Tolkin, McKenzie USMNT Starting XI for 2026 World Cup What's changed from the last time we tried this exercise? Yunus Musah is out of the Starting XI, as are Matt Turner and Joe Scally. But all still make the roster. So who leaves the squad? Auston Trusty, Tanner Tessmann, and Giovanni Reyna, and that's from a 23-man projection this Spring. As for the XI, here's our latest projections with the 'no-doubters' in bold. Matt Freese Sergino Dest — Chris Richards — Tim Ream — Antonee Robinson Tyler Adams — Luca de la Torre Timothy Weah — Malik Tillman — Christian Pulisic Folarin Balogun
The Star
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Italy's FA approves Serie A request for AC Milan to play Como in Australia
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - AC Milan v Como - San Siro, Milan, Italy - March 15, 2025 AC Milan's Christian Pulisic scores their first goal REUTERS/Claudia Greco/File Photo (Reuters) -AC Milan's Serie A clash with Como could become the first major European domestic league fixture played outside its home country after Italy's football federation (FIGC) gave the green light on Thursday for the match to be staged in Perth, Australia. The venue switch stems from Olympics logistics rather than commercial ambition as Milan's iconic San Siro Stadium will be unavailable that weekend when it hosts the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics on February 6. The proposal moves European football into uncharted territory after previous requests to stage domestic league matches abroad were knocked back by authorities. "The Federal Council gave a positive opinion to the Lega Serie A's request to play Milan-Como in Perth," the FIGC said in a statement. "This brings closer what would be a historic 'trip' abroad for a Serie A match." However, the FIGC cautioned that the "complex authorisation procedure" still requires formal approval from Football Australia, UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA before the historic fixture can kick off Down Under. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;Editing by Christian Radnedge)
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How USMNT's World Cup roster outlook changes after Gold Cup standouts emerge
There are two different conversations regarding what the U.S. men's national team will look like following this summer's Gold Cup. The first is about the roster we will see in September; the second is regarding the team that will represent the U.S. at next summer's World Cup. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino seemed chastened by a question about reintegrating the 'star' players of the American men's program after Sunday's 2-1 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final. Advertisement 'You already made the list?' Pochettino responded when asked about bringing back players like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest. 'Or you ask artificial intelligence and you do the roster for next time?' 'I don't understand that question. Because for different [reasons], we have the roster that we have. All the American players have the possibility for September to be on the roster. It's up to us now to analyze, but all the names you told me, all are under scrutiny, and we are following them. 'It's still one year from the World Cup. But now we need to build a roster for September. And yes, we need to analyze every single player, see the circumstances, the situations, performance, fitness level. Don't worry. We are people that are very open, and not closed. And who deserves to be (there) will be (there).' It's a strong possibility we see the 11 players who started three straight knockout games for the U.S. in September's friendlies against South Korea and Japan. Pochettino has been consistent in rewarding players that he believes buy what he is selling and earn his trust. He spoke about it multiple times with players like Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang getting reps with the U.S. team after January camp. So if you're doing roster bingo for September, expect to see Matt Freese, Max Arfsten, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Tyler Adams, Luca de la Torre, Luna, Malik Tillman, Sebastian Berhalter and Agyemang on the squad. Pochettino, rightly, will challenge other U.S. players to 'win back' their starting jobs. It goes back to something Pochettino said ahead of the Turkey game some 40 days ago. 'My first conversation we are going to have on (June 1) when we are all together is: 'Listen, guys. You have the possibility to defend your place. When you are now in the national team, it is not because you are here to try to replace people that (are) sure that (they are) going to be here. No, you have the possibility to defend your place. How you are going to defend your place, that is the important thing for us. You need to fight, you need to show attitude, the right attitude, but not only that, perform, and be brave, and follow the rules that we set in the group,'' Pochettino said. 'I think it is really important for us. And of course they need to know that they … are going to compete in a fair way with different people that maybe are not involved today in this squad.' Advertisement Pochettino told us the next steps. These players will now have a chance to 'defend their place.' Over the next few windows, however, Pochettino has to get all of his best players into the fold, repair relationships and lean on quality. And that's when the roster that we see in September evolves into the squad we'll see represent the country on home soil at the 2026 World Cup. With that said and the U.S.'s last tournament dress rehearsal in the rear-view mirror, here is my predicted 26-man World Cup roster (and yes, I'm assuming that FIFA will allow for 26 players). For comparison sake, this is what we had prior to the Gold Cup. Patrick Schulte, Zack Steffen, Matt Turner Someone has to step up at this position. Matt Freese didn't sell me that he can be a World Cup-caliber goalkeeper, his penalty heroics vs. Costa Rica notwithstanding. We'll see if any of the younger options step up this year, but I think it'll be Turner-Steffen 1-2 in the pecking order come next summer. Experience will matter (so, too, will health and playing time, which the selected trio here are all combatting). Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally, Antonee Robinson, Walker Zimmerman Freeman performed well enough to make the roster, and I think Arfsten's inability to defend against Concacaf opponents opened the door for Scally to be on this roster. He is limited going forward, but ultimately you need defenders who can defend. Center back remains a big trouble area for this group. Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Johnny Cardoso, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Tanner Tessmann, Malik Tillman Let's not get caught up going too deep into the depth chart for the World Cup. Adams, Cardoso, McKennie, Musah and Tillman will be expected to play the minutes next summer. Advertisement Folarin Balogun, Diego Luna, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Haji Wright Winger for me is a massive black hole beyond Pulisic and Weah. Luna can play inverted, but the U.S. has few options to look at for players who can stretch a back line. For now, Wright gets the spot. At the World Cup level, you need strikers who can compete physically and have a presence in front of goal. After the Gold Cup, you cannot convince me that Agyemang is a better choice than Sargent. I keep going back to U.S.-Netherlands in the 2022 World Cup round of 16, when injuries forced Jesús Ferreira into the starting lineup. Sargent performed admirably against Wales, helping to set up the goal, and in the other U.S. games. The Gold Cup was a missed opportunity to build his confidence and get him some goals. At the World Cup next summer, I lean on quality and experience. Agyemang just didn't convince me. If you want a big body late in the games, you have Wright.
Associated Press
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Less than year from the World Cup, US player pool becomes a game of `Survivor'
Now comes the U.S. national team's version of 'Survivor.' Having expanded his player pool during a CONCACAF Gold Cup that ended with a 2-1 loss to Mexico in Sunday's final, coach Mauricio Pochettino has eight friendlies left from September through March to evaluate players to pick for the World Cup. 'All the American players have the possibility,' Pochettino said. 'We need analyze every single player, see the circumstances, the situations, performance, fitness level.' Following a CONCACAF Nations League flop with his A team in March, Pochettino had largely a B squad for the Gold Cup. Star Christian Pulisic wanted vacation time; Yunus Musah opted out for an undisclosed personal reason; Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna were forced to be with their teams at the Club World Cup; Antonee Robinson and Folarin Balogun were hurt; and Sergiño Dest was regaining fitness. Defender Tim Ream and Tyler Adams were the only holdovers in the lineup against Mexico from the starters in the 2022 World Cup second-round loss to the Netherlands. Players who boosted themselves during the Gold Cup included goalkeeper Matt Freese, right back Alex Freeman, midfielders Malik Tillman and Sebastian Berhalter, and forward Patrick Agyemang. 'Guys have stepped up who were maybe taking a back seat previously, not that they're quiet mice and they just sit there and listen to everything,' said Ream, the 37-year-old who captained the U.S. against Mexico. Pochettino has 10 wins and six losses since replacing Gregg Berhalter last fall. A segment of the team's fan base was discouraged by last year's first-round elimination at the Copa America, this year's Nations League and a four-game losing streak entering the Gold Cup, the team's longest skid since 2007. Crowds that rooted overwhelming for Guatemala in the semifinals and Mexico in the final caused Pochettino to implore the American fan base to support its national team. 'I think it would have been different if we would have played in two stadiums, the other way around, both against Guatemala in St. Louis — 90 (%) to 10 for USA, and today, instead of 70,000 — I'm not saying 70, but 60 or 50,000 of our people supporting us,' he said Sunday. 'But, well, this is what we have to deal with.' Even following Freese's emergence, the American goalkeeper pool is its weakest since the 1980s. Matt Turner has failed to establish himself with a top-tier European team, just like Zack Steffen. And given a chance to regain the starting spot after returning to Major League Soccer, Steffen got hurt ahead of the Gold Cup. Richards and Ream are the strongest of the central defenders, and Dest and Robinson the top choice at outside back with no clear No. 2s. Midfield has the most depth and no one has seized the striker position. Ex-players, including Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard, have criticized the current player pool's dedication. Speaking late Sunday, Adams noted 'so much noise outside of what we were doing on the field' heading into the tournament. 'I told every single player after the game how proud I was just of the growth of every single individual,' Adams said. He said the positive culture Pochettino established over five weeks together has to be maintained for friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 6 and Japan three days later. 'I think it has to translate right away or I think Mauricio just probably won't call people in,' Adams said. 'The culture that we have, it doesn't matter who you are. If it's guys here that played well, if it's guys coming back into the group, if you're coming back from injury, just whatever it is, the culture and the emotion is the first thing that he wants to see.' There also will be a pair of friendlies in each of October, November and March, a possible January training camp mostly for MLS-based players and then two pre-World Cup send-off games in early June. 'The most important thing is to have our heads up,' Pochettino said. 'I have no doubt that we are going to be really, really competitive and going to be very difficult for the opponent.' ___ AP freelance writer Jeremy Rakes in Houston contributed to this report. ___ AP soccer:
