‘Captain America’ Christian Pulisic has played under pressure before, but nothing like this World Cup
When the U.S. men’s national team opens its World Cup bid on Friday in Los Angeles, all eyes will be on Christian Pulisic. The 27-year-old star is widely considered the most talented American player of his generation and — rightly or wrongly — tasked with delivering the best result in the country’s history this summer on home soil.
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He says he’s not letting that pressure get to him.
“I think no matter what, wherever you’re playing, in the World Cup there’s pressure,” Pulisic, nicknamed “Captain America,” told NBC News in February at the training facility of his professional club, AC Milan. “I’m just going to try to live in the moment and enjoy the best I can.”
That’s easier said than done. The furthest the men’s national team has gone over the last three decades has been the quarterfinals in 2002. Since then, it either did not qualify (2018), failed to make it out of the group stage (2006) or was eliminated in the round of 16 (2010, 2014, 2022).
It also doesn’t help that fans and commentators are still questioning the potential of this group — nicknamed “The Golden Generation” for its abundance of talented young players. Former U.S. defender Alexi Lalas, now a commentator for Fox Sports, called out the roster at a news conference last month.
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“This is a generation that has been given absolutely everything both on and off the field in terms of resources, in terms of opportunities, in terms of pathways,” Lalas said. “And I don’t think that I’m being unrealistic. I don’t think I’m being unfair by saying that we should expect more from this group.”
One player in particular, Lalas says, is Pulisic.
Last summer, Pulisic voluntarily decided not to join Team USA in the CONCACAF Gold Cup — a tournament featuring the top nations from North America, Central America and the Caribbean — to focus on both his mental and physical health. The decision sparked heavy backlash from fans and former national team players who questioned his level of commitment.
More recently, questions have surrounded Pulisic’s play at the professional level. Following two exceptional seasons for AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A, he couldn’t find consistency on the field in 2025-26. He missed seven games this year because of minor injuries and didn’t score at all in 2026.
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