Now preparing for another World Cup on home soil, the 27-year-old has opened up about a pivotal moment that helped alter the trajectory of his career and ultimately made him a stronger player. With the 2026 World Cup just 12 days away, Christian Pulisic finds himself carrying the hopes of an entire nation once again. The Milan star has become the face of the United States national team, while former coach Gregg Berhalter remains one of the key figures who helped shape his development during the early stages of his international career.
Pulisic’s journey to becoming the leader of the USMNT has included moments of success, difficult setbacks, injuries, and enormous expectations. Now preparing for another World Cup on home soil, the 27-year-old has opened up about a pivotal moment that helped alter the trajectory of his career and ultimately made him a stronger player.
In fact, few American soccer players have faced the level of scrutiny that Pulisic has experienced throughout his career. Since breaking through at Borussia Dortmund as a teenager, he has carried expectations wherever he has played. Those expectations followed him during his time at Chelsea and have remained ever-present since his move to Milan.
During a recent appearance on The Cooligans podcast, Pulisic discussed the pressure that comes with being the biggest name in American soccer. Despite the constant spotlight, he explained that he has learned how to separate outside noise from what happens on the field. “Everyone loves to bring up all the pressure and tell me about the pressure. I’m used to it,” the forward said.
“I’ve lived like this for quite some time now. There’s always pressure there. For me, I just try to do my best to live in the moment. I wouldn’t trade what I do for the world.” The winger acknowledged that criticism comes with leadership responsibilities, especially when representing the national team at major tournaments.
Pulisic’s career-changing conversation with Berhalter
While discussing his development, Pulisic revealed that one conversation with Berhalter years ago had a lasting impact on his career. Back in 2019, the then-USMNT coach challenged one aspect of Pulisic’s approach that he believed was contributing to recurring injury problems.
At the time, the young star did not immediately embrace the criticism. However, as the years passed, he began to understand exactly what Berhalter was trying to tell him. The advice centered around the intensity of Pulisic’s training sessions compared to the intensity he displayed during matches.
Gregg Berhalter and Christian Pulisic of United States
Berhalter believed the winger’s body was struggling because there was too large a gap between how hard he trained and how hard he competed on matchdays. The coach suggested that greater consistency in preparation could help reduce injury risks and improve performance. Initially, Pulisic was skeptical.
Like many talented young players, he believed he already understood what was required at the highest level. Over time, however, he reconsidered the advice and made meaningful changes to his daily routine. “I thought about that more and make an effort to change the way I train and I way I prepare,” Pulisic explained. “It made a big difference in my career.” That simple adjustment eventually became one of the most important lessons of his professional life.
Pulisic reveals how he deals with critics
Pulisic also revealed how he handles criticism from fans, media, and social networks. Despite facing regular scrutiny, especially during difficult spells of form, he insists that most outside opinions no longer affect him. “I shut out 99% of that stuff that you probably hear; it really doesn’t affect me all that much,” he said. “It’s not nice to hear bad things about yourself or being scrutinized.”
Christian Pulisic playing for the USMNT.
The forward then explained why he remains motivated regardless of public opinion: “I’m just grateful I’m in this position. This is exactly where I want to be. You can criticize me, scrutinize me all you want. I love what I do. I’m just going to keep pushing to be better. When it’s all said and done, you can look back and see what I’ve done in my career, and I hope I leave having no regrets.”