The U.S. men’s national team enters a pivotal moment as Mauricio Pochettino and Christian Pulisic reunite at camp ahead of friendlies against South Korea and Japan. The dynamic between coach and captain has been under the microscope since the summer, raising the question: have they truly buried the hatchet?
The tension between Pulisic and Pochettino first came to light during the CONCACAF Nations League third-place match last March, when Pulisic waved off an attempted substitution. Two months later, he skipped the Gold Cup, officially to recover from long and grueling seasons with Milan.
The U.S. Soccer Federation publicly backed the decision, but critics did not hold back. Former stars Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey questioned Pulisic’s commitment, prompting backlash from teammates and a fiery defense from the forward himself.
In an interview with CBS Sports, Pulisic revealed he had offered to play in two friendlies before the tournament but was rejected by the Argentine manager, who wanted a single unified roster for the Gold Cup. The American admitted he didn’t understand the decision.
What did Pochettino say about Pulisic?
Now, as the USMNT prepares for its first friendlies of the fall, Pochettino has attempted to draw a line under the saga. Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, he insisted that the matter no longer casts a shadow over the squad. “We all made a mistake in some time, because we read the situation in a different way,” he admitted. “The most important is that when you are intelligent people, if we want to move on and do the right things — I want to be intelligent.”
And then, with his six-word claim, Pochettino clarified his stance: “For me, it’s in the past.” The message was clear—whatever disagreements lingered from the summer are now behind them. “Christian is happy to be here,” he added. “Of course, he’s an important player for us.
