Christian Pulisic entered the 2026 World Cup with high expectations, but early performances fell short. He played a solid 45 minutes in the opener against Paraguay, yet missed the rest of the group stage until a brief appearance against Turkey and a decent outing versus Bosnia‑Herzegovina.

The loss to Belgium proved disastrous: Pulisic dropped the ball 14 times and struggled to find rhythm, a stark contrast to his 2022 moment when he scored the decisive goal against Iran. The team’s failure to advance highlighted the gap between hype and delivery.

An underlying bone bruise and microfracture in his lower leg limited his availability. The injury left him unreliable, and he has yet to score for AC Milan since December. The lack of goal output and recurring knocks underscore a worrying trend for a player whose longevity is central to any “greatest US ಮುಖ” debate.

Pulisic’s leadership style—minimalist and detached—has not resonated with the squad or the fanbase, and coaches Gregg Berhalter and Mauricio Pochettino chose other captains. Whether he can reinvent himself for the next U.S. World Cup remains uncertain, but the 2026 outcome casts doubts on his role as a future star.