Christian Pulisic has opened up about his absence from the U.S. men’s national team (USMNT) for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup, revealing that he had requested to join his teammates for pre-Gold Cup friendlies but was denied by coach Mauricio Pochettino.

“Obviously, it sucks for me to miss out with the team,” Pulisic shared during a CBS Sports podcast with former U.S. players Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies, and Tony Meola. (Translation: It is disappointing for me not to be with the team.)

He expressed his desire to be part of the squad but had to consider what was best for his long-term fitness leading into the upcoming World Cup. Pulisic explained that he was willing to participate in at least the two friendly matches against Türkiye and Switzerland, but Pochettino’s decision was firm: only one roster would be maintained.

Despite his absence, Pulisic criticized the reaction from some former players, particularly Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, who questioned his commitment.

“To question my commitment… that’s way out of line. I’ve never missed a game in all my years with the national team due to anything but an injury,” he stated.
(Translation: I’ve always been devoted to the national team and have only missed games due to injuries.)

Pulisic, who avoided playing further matches before the World Cup for personal health reasons, faced backlash but stood firm in his decision. As he stated, “This is the right decision… for the team.”

(Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)