Christian Pulisic Affirms USMNT Are ‘Closer Than Ever’ to Winning the World Cup Under Mauricio Pochettino- “Never Had That Before”

When it comes to American soccer, it’s like two sides of a coin. On the women’s side, they are the heavyweights, boasting four World Cups and always favorites to win any tournament they enter. On the other hand, the men’s best finish was a third-place spot in the inaugural World Cup back in 1930. However, USMNT captain Christian Pulisic believes change is on the horizon, thanks to the new head coach.

Ever since Mauricio Pochettino took over the USMNT, the Stars and Stripes have adopted a more aggressive style of football, one that’s starting to get attention from the world. At the helm of this bandwagon is Christian Pulisic, who recently became the fastest to reach 50-goal contributions in USMNT history.

When asked on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ whether the side would be favorites at the 2026 World Cup, which will be held at home, the skipper sounded incredibly enthusiastic. “I definitely say we are closer than we ever have been, there’s been so many top players now playing in Europe at the highest level and we’ve just never had that before,” said Captain America. 

Now, with a figure like Pochettino standing behind the team, Pulisic hopes that he’ll receive the same support from fans watching them play at home. “So absolutely I think fans can be excited but yeah, now it’s on us to go out and show and prove why we can hang with the best and beat them,” added Pulisic. 

And why not? After all, Mauricio Pochettino is the same manager who once led Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final, so Pulisic believes that Americans have every right to dream big. But for now, there’s a small thing worrying Pochettino about the skipper.

Will Christian Pulisic be fit for Pochettino’s January Camp?

Christian Pulisic recently picked up a calf injury during AC Milan’s 1-2 loss to Atalanta, which has ruled the American out for the rest of 2024. AC Milan have been struggling this season in Serie A, so without the American, Ruben Loftus-Cheek will need to step up in his absence.

The same applies to the Argentine coach, as the 26-year-old has been regularly finding the back of the net for the Stars and Stripes. The USMNT is all set to play friendlies against Venezuela and Costa Rica as part of their January camp.

A positive to this is that Pochettino might consider starting players outside of his starting XI. With there being talk of some younger players possibly getting more caps, 2 years is enough time for the head coach to strengthen his squad by the time the World Cup arrives. Do you think the USMNT will be able to make it past the cursed Round of 16 at home? Let us know in the comments.