The World Cup arrives in just a few weeks, and while the tournament brings firsts with three host nations across North America and an expanded 48-team format, one constant remains, and that is Christian Pulisic represents the USMNT's best hope of making a deep run.
Following Qatar 2022, which ended with elimination by the Netherlands in the round of 16, Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping his side can progress further on home soil.
A group containing Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey offers a genuine path out of the group stage, and Pulisic won't have to carry the load alone this time. While he remains the face of American soccer, a stronger supporting cast now surrounds him.
The first American to win a Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, the winger now plies his trade in Italy with AC Milan.
His presence gives a new generation, including Gio Reyna, Chris Richards, and Tim Weah, the belief they can defy expectations from even the best online sportsbook at a tournament where the USMNT will face intense scrutiny.
But does Captain America, the kid from Hershey, Pennsylvania, arrive at the World Cup with enough momentum to inspire a nation?
Here we assess the defining moments of his club season in Milan and whether he's in the form required to deliver when it matters most.
Milan's 2025-26 campaign began under new coach Massimiliano Allegri, who arrived after the club sacked both Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceição following a disastrous eighth-place finish the previous term.
Allegri reached two Champions League finals with Juventus and previously guided Milan to a Scudetto in 2011, so expectations were high when he returned to the San Siro.
The team has been revolutionized by Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric, who joined on a free transfer from Real Madrid last summer.
The Croatian maestro has taught the side to slow down and pick their moments, with the midfielder still running games at 40 years old despite the physical demands of Serie A.
This tactical shift meant Pulisic had to adapt his game. Rather than operating as a traditional winger, he's been deployed as part of a front two alongside Rafael Leão in Allegri's pragmatic system. The adjustment hasn't been seamless, but the early returns showed promise.
Pulisic has contributed 11 goal involvements so far this season. While statistically that represents a downturn from the 27 he registered last term, he's also played fewer matches as the Rossoneri haven’t been in Europe.
The system works differently than what Pochettino employs with the national team. In Italy, Allegri prioritizes defensive solidity, and Serie A has built its reputation as one of the world's strongest leagues for keeping goals out rather than putting them in.
Milan themselves once won the Scudetto by scoring just 36 goals all season, and working with a traditionalist always means you’re less likely to score.
Pulisic hasn't scored since January 2nd against Cagliari, a drought now stretching 16 consecutive games. For USMNT fans counting down to June, that's the headline concern.
Milan's recent struggles have forced Allegri to experiment with personnel, with Pulisic sacrificed for Christopher Nkunku in the defeat to Sassuolo, though he's still started the majority of games.
A hamstring injury in October disrupted his rhythm, and finding consistent form in Allegri's system has proven challenging.
That's not entirely on him. Allegri plays a vastly different style than Pochettino, and the contrast became clear during recent international friendlies. Against Belgium and in the half he played against Portugal, Pulisic remained the focal point of the American attack, dropping deeper to collect possession and driving forward with the ball at his feet.
In Italy, that freedom doesn't exist. Defense comes first. Allegri would rather deploy the security of a back three than risk Leão and Pulisic drifting too wide and exposing the defense. The tactical straitjacket has limited Pulisic's natural game,
His expected goals numbers show he's still getting into dangerous positions. The finishing just hasn't fallen his way.
The critical question facing American fans is if this goal drought carry caution into the tournament?
Having already scored at the 2022 World Cup and won some of European football's biggest honours, it's unlikely poor club form will rattle Pulisic's confidence.
There's an old saying about goals being like buses or ketchup from a bottle. For a while, nothing comes out, then suddenly it all flows at once.
World Cups have a habit of stripping careers down to their essence. For the USMNT, that essence remains simple. The best player still gets the biggest say.
The tactical freedom Pochettino provides stands in sharp contrast to Allegri's restrictions. When Pulisic pulls on the Stars and Stripes, he's encouraged to take risks, drive at defenders, and create moments out of nothing.
The supporting cast has also improved dramatically since Qatar. Ricardo Pepi scored 14 goals in the 2025-26 Eredivisie season for PSV Eindhoven before a move to Fulham nearly materialized.
Tim Weah probably offers the most reliable connection. If he can find chemistry with Pulisic, Pochettino suddenly has a genuine front line to build around.
The reporting around the squad frames Pulisic as the focal point but not the only attacking solution anymore. If he's struggling, the U.S. now possesses enough quality to generate chances and goals from multiple sources.
That depth matters at a World Cup where fatigue, injuries, and momentum shifts can derail even the most talented squads. The expanded format means more matches, and in North American summer heat, squad rotation becomes crucial.
Pulisic may not arrive in searing club form that guarantees headlines, but that almost feels beside the point
He's not Messi and Argentina, and that's fine. He doesn't have to be. The USMNT aren't the favorite, and nobody expects them to lift the trophy in July. But with home support, a talented squad, and Pulisic's ability to produce moments of individual brilliance, they possess the ingredients for something special.
The drought will end. Goals, like confidence, have a way of returning at unexpected moments.
If Pulisic finds his shooting boots in the group stage and the pieces fall into place around him, the U.S. could finally move beyond the familiar story of promise and disappointment into something more dangerous.
