48 teams might be on the lookout for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, yet all eyes are on the US men’s national team. The obvious reason is that they’re the host nation, yet for many, the excitement centers around one name: Christian Pulisic. And why not? For a player who continues to showcase scintillating form just months before the prestigious tournament, it’s only natural to expect more of the same. Stepping in to further elevate his stature at a perfect time is none other than World Cup-winning icon Alessandro Del Piero.

The former Italian soccer great, regarded as one of the most iconic figures in the history of the beautiful game, has showered praise on Mr. Captain America, mainly due to his outstanding form at AC Milan this season. For context, Christian Pulisic has recorded six goals and two assists in just seven matches for the Rossoneri, even climbing the Serie A charts for both scoring and goal contributions.

“His role in Milan is very clear and he improved time by time, month by month, year by year,” Alessandro Del Piero began while speaking on the ESPN FC show. “So now he’s definitely the most dangerous player for them. But not only as a striker, scoring goals or assists, but as a guy that can play also midfielder and get connected between midfielders and attackers. So he’s doing amazing already for many years.”

Del Piero himself is no stranger to operating in various positions on the pitch. Primarily known as a second striker, he also took on roles as a winger and an attacking midfielder, better recognized as the No. 10 position, which demands exceptional creativity to serve as the perfect link between midfield and attack. And, of course, that was a role the Juventus icon mastered to perfection.

And who would have thought that Del Piero also sees Christian Pulisic as capable of playing a similar role? Coincidentally, he isn’t alone; back when AC Milan was under Paulo Fonseca, the Portuguese tactician often deployed Pulisic in the No. 10 spot within a 4-2-3-1 setup. It was something he credited as one of the main reasons behind the USMNT star’s impressive surge in form at the start of last season.

“Honestly, Pulisic doesn’t have the same impact as a winger that he does when he plays centrally, and when we changed the formation, the team was different,” said Fonseca while speaking with Sky Sports last year. While this was something the now Lyon boss had once advised the then-newly appointed Mauricio Pochettino to consider as well, the USMNT manager seems to have his own approach when it comes to handling his key player.

Mauricio Pochettino shall make the most of having Christian Pulisic in the USMNT

With a wee bit of praise, even Mauricio Pochettino had some words to share over Christian Pulisic’s remarkable form, hoping it stays the same way for the latter. “Christian is a great player,” Pochettino said to US Soccer. “He’s a player that has continuity, and I think we can say he is the most important player now for the National Team that is performing and playing under big pressure. He needs to perform every single week and every single game in a place like Milan, and he’s doing well.”

While Pulisic has some part to play in retaining his form, much of the responsibility also lies on the shoulders of Poch. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is one thing to ace, but even before that, preparation starts for the bigger stage from now on. In the coming days, the USMNT will reunite for their October camp, facing Ecuador and Australia. They are entering with a bittersweet campaign so far, having lost to South Korea 0-2 before securing a win over Japan with a similar scoreline.

Even before that, things weren’t exactly at the right pace for the American boys as they lost the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League. This reminds us that the absence of Pulisic during the Gold Cup had also become a topic of discussion among many. The 27-year-old had deliberately decided not to play, citing fatigue. Yet, that saw him face a lot of criticism, forcing Pochettino to call the situation, let bygones be bygones. Of course, as the team returns again, they shall now focus on the collective effort of winning whatever they can.

As for Christian Pulisic, let’s hope it stays that way for the USMNT skipper at least until the upcoming World Cup.