Christian Pulisic is optimistic about the U.S. Men's National Team's chances as the FIFA World Cup approaches in 50 days. The tournament will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, starting with Mexico's match against South Africa.
Mentioned in this story
Christian Pulisic will soon look to help guide the U.S. Men's National Team on a deep run at this summer's home FIFA World Cup -Credit:Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images
(Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
With former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino at the helm and the likes of AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic at the U.S. Men’s National Team’s disposal, expectations are high heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Set to be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, the tournament will kick off in exactly 50 days as of April 22, with Mexico City hosting the first game between El Tri and South Africa.
The USMNT then kicks off in Group D a day later at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, when they take on Paraguay. Taking to the pitch, barring any last-minute injuries or shock absentees from Pochettino’s roster, will not only be Pulisic but also Juventus’ Weston McKennie, AFC Bournemouth’s , and AS ’s , among several other players from top European leagues.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off in exactly 50 days from April 22, 2026.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
The head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team is Mauricio Pochettino.
The first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be between Mexico and South Africa.
Sean Longstaff scored a late equalizer for Leeds in a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, keeping them nine points clear of the relegation zone. The result hampers Bournemouth's hopes of European qualification.
Man City secures top spot in Premier League with 1-0 win over Burnley, relegating them to the Championship.
Man City goes top of the Premier League, but Arsenal remains a contender, says Neville.
Patriots Expected to Pick 21.5-Sack Rusher T.J. Parker in Draft
Jose Soriano's brilliant start sets an MLB milestone, allowing one run in six starts.
NFL draft buzz: Chargers may select Jermod McCoy at No. 22
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Pulisic has made 84 appearances for the USMNT -Credit:Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images
In fact, according to Pulisic, this current USMNT roster might be the best he’s worked with to date. “I think you could say so,” he said on the matter in an interview with Reuters.
“Looking at the guys playing at the highest levels and doing extremely well at their clubs, and I think for sure you have a really, really strong squad and depth as well. Multiple guys that can play in every position. It's a very strong team.”
The likes of McKennie, Lyon’s Tanner Tessmann, and Olympique Marseille’s Tim Weah all provide invaluable flexibility when it comes to the ability to perform in multiple positions, while midfielder Pulisic was recently tested as a false nine during the USMNT’s 2-0 friendly loss to Portugal.
Entering the tournament ranked 16th in the world by FIFA, one spot below Mexico and 14 ahead of Canada, the USMNT will not only be looking to prove the organizers wrong following their recent drop in the pecking order but also end a worrying eight-game losing streak against European nations dating back to 2022.
Thankfully, as far as Pulisic is concerned, motivation shouldn’t be an issue. “A World Cup is enough motivation in itself and having it in the U.S., having my family and close friends there, there's just nothing more you can ask for,” the 27-year-old said.
Looking ahead to the opening game against Paraguay, for which FIFA appears to be struggling to shift tickets, Pulisic commented, “I know the energy in the stadiums is going to be great. We want to take as much of that as we can, take that motivation and push to make the American people proud.”
This inherent sense of pride to represent his nation is clearly deep-rooted within the 84-time international, who admitted that “representing the U.S. and being able to wear that crest, I don't take it lightly.
“It's something I've been doing since I was 17 years old... I'm very proud to be an American and am grateful for everything this country has given me. I just want to give everything back and hopefully make some people proud.”