73.3% — that’s the highest winning rate the U.S. men’s national team has had in Columbus, Ohio, compared to any other city where they’ve played a dozen or more times. Out of 15 matches, the American men’s team has won 11, with the latest being their 2-0 victory over Japan, according to OptaJack. But beyond the numbers and good fortune of the ground, it was also the massive support from the fans that fueled the USMNT’s confident win — something skipper Christian Pulisic never takes for granted!

In the aftermath of the emphatic victory over Japan, the 26-year-old expressed his gratitude for the ardent fans who turned up at the Lower.com Field in numbers and created a vibrant, and, as the US Soccer described, a “buzzing” atmosphere for the team.

Not to mention it’s also a place that is quite special for Pulisic. “Obviously, Ohio in general has always been a pretty special place for me and for the team,” began the AC Milan star. “I made my debut in this city with the national team. I think that the support here is always been incredible, so having that pro-US crowd and really cheering us on, it helps us so much.”

To be fair, it was more than necessary for Pulisic to express his emotions after seeing such support from a crowd, especially considering what happened in the previous game. Having hosted South Korea at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, not many US Soccer supporters turned up in numbers.

The Sports Illustrated Stadium was awash in red, with reports suggesting that around 80% of the stands were occupied by Korean fans. No wonder in the post-match presser, head coach Mauricio Pochettino literally pleaded to fans to come watch them play.

“Please come more [to the games],” said the Argentinian tactician. While it’s unclear why many didn’t make it to New Jersey. Then again, the support in Columbus surely made a difference. And even if fans had some doubts about the team, Pulisic was quick to put them to rest!

Christian Pulisic offers honest explanation over USMNT’s tough ride!

The past few months have seen the US men’s national team entangled in a lot of drama. Beyond disappointing scorelines and rough stretches, they have also been constantly criticized for minor issues, including player selection by head coach Mauricio Pochettino, and even the summer controversy over Christian Pulisic’s voluntary absence from the Gold Cup.

“I don’t know what to expect anymore. That’s where we’ve gotten with the USMNT. Nobody really knows,” said former USMNT striker Herculez Gomez, reflecting on the team’s struggles after their tough loss to South Korea, while also criticizing Pochettino for not having a conversation with the USMNT captain regarding the Gold Cup situation.

But as Pulisic puts it, there simply was no drama at all! “We had good conversations,” Pulisic told reporters after the match. “Honestly, what you guys experience and what the media sees is not exactly what we experience. Things are good. We spoke. We had a normal camp, and everything is good between us and good between the team. There’s not as much drama as you guys think.”

Instead, Christian Pulisic assured that the winning culture continues to take shape under the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino and the core USMNT players. “I love this team. It’s everything to me,” added the former Borussia Dortmund star.

So it seems there’s nothing to worry about the USMNT, as of now, at least.