Christian Pulisic has downplayed the controversy with the United States coach, Mauricio Pochettino, stating that their relationship is good. The prominent US national team player, Pulisic, decided to rest after two long seasons with AC Milan, opting not to participate in the Concacaf Gold Cup. Although he offered to play in a couple of friendlies prior to the tournament, Pochettino rejected the proposal seeking to maintain the cohesion of the group. This generated criticism towards Pulisic from some former US players. Pulisic returned to the national team this month and started in two friendlies, including an assist in the 2-0 victory over Japan.
The winger, who will turn 27 on September 18, debuted with the national team in 2016 and has 32 goals in 80 international appearances. He scored the only goal for the United States in Trinidad on the night the team failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament and also scored in the 1-0 victory over Iran at the 2022 World Cup.We have good conversations. Honestly. Probably what you experience and what the media sees is not exactly what we experience. Things are fine. We talk. We had a normal camp and everything is fine between us, fine between the team.
Christian Pulisic
Pulisic hadn’t spoken to reporters since last spring. In June, when explaining why he wouldn’t accept Pulisic for the friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, Pochettino stated: “I am the coach. I am not a dummy.” Pochettino, when announcing the September list, commented: “I think that’s already in the past, everything that happened in the summer, and I think we need to look forward now.” Pochettino added: “We all made mistakes at some point, because we read the situation differently. The most important thing is that, when you are intelligent people, if we want to move forward and do things well, I want to be intelligent.” Pochettino had said before the camp that he had not spoken to Pulisic during the summer.I love this team. It’s everything to me. I’ve been here for quite a while. I’m getting to know some new guys, joining some old players. Even seeing Cristian Roldan again, it’s great for me.
Christian Pulisic
Obviously, the national team can be difficult because you don’t spend day to day together. So I think in the camps we have entered, we have met and we have started to, yes, to know each other, to know the team, and, yes, how we can help each other as best we can to move forward and try to win. So, I would say it’s fine.
Christian Pulisic
