Pulisic says US team is strongest yet ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

Christian Pulisic believes the current US team is the strongest he has been a part of. The AC Milan forward says the quality and depth of the squad should give the Americans plenty of reason for optimism ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

Pulisic, long the face of U.S. soccer, said the team was in a good place as attention begins to build around a tournament to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“I guess you could say that,” Pulisic said Reuters when asked if this was the best American team he was a part of. “When I look at the guys who are playing at the highest level and doing extremely well for their clubs, I definitely think you also have a very, very strong squad and depth.”

«Several guys who can play in any position. It’s a very strong team.»

Pulisic and coach Mauricio Pochettino will lead a squad expected to include fellow forwards Folarin Balogun and Tim Weah, midfielders Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, defenders Tim Ream and Chris Richards, and goalkeepers Matt Freese and Matt Turner.

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For Pulisic, who spoke Reuters while working with a deodorant company Rankthe chance to play a World Cup in the United States adds a new layer of motivation to the sport’s biggest event.

“A World Cup is motivation enough in itself and when you have it in the US, with my family and close friends there, you just can’t ask for anything more,” he said.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE

The 27-year-old said he hopes American fans can give the team a big boost when the tournament starts. The US faces Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12.

“I know the energy in the stadiums will be great,” he said. “We want to take advantage of that as much as possible, use that motivation and try to make the American people proud.”

Pulisic, who has represented the US since he was a teenager, said wearing the national team shirt still has deep meaning.

“Representing the United States and being able to wear that emblem is not something I take lightly,” he said. «It’s something I’ve been doing since I was 17 years old…I’m very proud to be an American and grateful for everything this country has given me. I just want to give back everything and hopefully make some people proud.»

CAPTAIN AMERICA

As one of the most recognizable players in American soccer history, Pulisic has often been saddled with labels like «Captain America» ​​and cast as the public face of men’s soccer in the country. But he said he tries to block out that noise rather than embrace it.

“I would say I’m definitely turning it off,” he said. “It’s not something I look at too much. I worry about what I can do and how I can help my team and how I can help us win.”

He said his leadership has evolved into setting standards through his work rather than through speeches.

“I hope that what I do from a day-to-day perspective, training every day and the way I work, I hope I can show people my commitment to the team and lead by example,” he said.

Pulisic also said he doesn’t feel burdened by a broader responsibility to serve as a standard-bearer for the sport in the United States, even as he hopes to inspire younger players.

“I’m focusing on my work,” he said. «If I can inspire people along the way, that’s great. That gives me a push and I hope to do that. But I don’t feel pressure to do it.»

With expectations mounting for the co-hosts, Pulisic was hesitant to define success by a specific endpoint. He only said that the first objective was to progress from the group stage before the tournament was played match by match.

Yet his message to the supporters was clear. «The team is in a good place. People should be excited and hopefully ready to cheer us on.»

Published on April 21, 2026