U.S. men’s national soccer team is experiencing internal discord as former players clash over Christian Pulisic’s abrupt departure from the World Cup.
The team’s 4‑1 defeat to Belgium on Monday, which appeared decisive from the start, has intensified debate over Pulisic’s performance.
Landon Donovan, a former U.S. international, has long questioned Pulisic’s dedication, noting that the player skipped the Gold Cup last year to prioritize his health for the World Cup.
Despite Pulisic’s lack of full fitness, Donovan criticized him, saying the forward, now 27, is simply who he is and expressing disappointment.
Former midfielder Jermaine Jones entered the discussion to defend Pulisic amid a wave of criticism.
“I strongly believe Christian Pulisic is the greatest American player of all time,” Jones said in a post on X. “I had the privilege of playing with some of the U.S. players, and for me, no one matches him. What I find disappointing is seeing former players try to downplay his career or talent. Be careful throwing stones when you live in a glass house. Respect what Pulisic has done for U.S. Soccer and outside of America.”
Jones and Donovan were teammates on the U.S. national team, though they never appeared together at a World Cup.
While Pulisic’s ability is unquestioned, he displayed brilliance in the group‑stage match against Paraguay, scoring as the U.S. secured a 4‑1 victory.
Although Jones claims Pulisic is the greatest American player ever, that view is debatable given the team’s limited progress under his leadership and his recurring injury problems.
It remains unclear what Jones means by telling critics, presumably Donovan, to be cautious about “throwing stones when you live in a glass house.”
Donovan has since criticized Pulisic again, focusing on his attitude and public conduct.
“People are fed up with the way things are handled around him,” Donovan, a Fox broadcaster and one of the best U.S. Soccer players ever, said on his “Unfiltered Soccer” podcast alongside USA legend Tim Howard. “And it’s not necessarily him, but it’s his agents, his family, his hangers-on, the people who are influencing. People are fed up with it.”
Donovan has previously clashed with Pulisic’s father, Mark, and may be the source of his remarks.
“They treat people poorly,” Donovan continued. “They do things poorly. It’s always a ‘No’ whenever you want to ask, ‘Can we do an interview?’ It’s always a, ‘No, you can’t get near him.’ He doesn’t say, ‘Hi’ to the commentators who do all the games all the time when they walk by.”
Mark defended his son’s decision to skip the 2025 Gold Cup, noting that Donovan also took a break from the national team in 2013, though his absence was brief and did not prevent him from missing major tournaments, unlike Pulisic.
Donovan said Pulisic avoids him, but maintains contact with his sponsors, agents, teammates and U.S. Soccer officials, whom he claims are frustrated with Pulisic’s behavior.
Pulisic has withdrawn from four of the United States’ past nine matches due to injury and faced criticism for allegedly opting out of the Belgium match while dealing with an ankle problem.
Pulisic said, “I simply twisted and sprained my ankle. It’s disappointing to finish that way, but I now have time to recover, and I’ll be fine.”
Those seemingly indifferent remarks after the crushing loss have sparked fierce backlash and are dividing the soccer community.
