Christian Pulisic has seen himself become the target of intense scrutiny following the US’s disappointing FIFA World Cup exit. As the captain of the team and face of American soccer, the star has drawn much criticism, with fans and pundits questioning his impact, including a former NWSL star.
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“If you’re going to be Captain America, when you don’t show up in such a huge game, you’re going to get a lot of hate for that,” Kealia Watt said during an episode of her Style of Play podcast. “I do think all of a sudden when they lost, it was like all on Pulisic.
“Early on, there were not many calls of, ‘He didn’t look good’. At the same time, this discourse, we need that in soccer. It’s probably very hard for Pulisic, but that’s what comes when the sport is getting bigger.”
Following his performance against Belgium, when he was subbed out due to an ankle injury, the US went on to lose 4-1. US Soccer later revealed that Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and a microfracture in his leg during the game, which contributed to his poor performance.
In a conversation with former USWNT player Julie Ertz, Watt explained that she sees the backlash as unavoidable for a player as much in the spotlight as team captain Pulisic, while deeming it necessary for the growth of the game that soccer has certainly seen while hosting the FIFA World Cup.
The passionate debate around Pulisic and the USMNT’s performance shows the quickly rising interest in the sport in America. But while most of the criticism fell on the team captain, Ertz felt that the conversation should extend beyond the captain.
“That’s what’s difficult about being the face. They’re like, is he going to live up to this?” she said. “But I’m like, what about the other players? Why can’t ten other people come step up? I couldn’t tell you one person that I was like, wow, what a good performance you put in.”
These comments are just the latest in a large group of American soccer personalities weighing in on Pulisic. Landon Donovan and Carli Lloyd were two of his harshest critics, raising questions about whether he can continue to carry the expectations that come with being USMNT captain.
“The reality is, [Pulisic] came out of a World Cup knockout game at home, with his leg still intact,” Donovan said on his Unfiltered Soccer podcast. “I would have punched the doctor in the face and said, ‘You’re not taking me off the field. Put whatever you need to put in me, and I’m staying on the field.'”
As everyone continues to debate whether Pulisic should or should not return to the USMNT in the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the storyline continues to show that this is just the initial steps to grow the game.
