Two-time World Cup champion Carli Lloyd didn't hold back when it came to Christian Pulisic this week. The former U.S. women's national team captain took aim at the men's star following a disappointing performance that has fans and analysts alike questioning his commitment.
Pulisic, widely considered the best player on the U.S. men's national squad, struggled mightily during the World Cup. His worst outing came in Monday's 4-1 loss to Belgium, where he failed to make an impact in a must-win knockout game. Lloyd, never one to mince words, called him out publicly.
“You wanted some of those big-time players to step up in big moments,” Lloyd said. “I gotta be honest, I was a bit disappointed with Christian Pulisic. Whether he wants to be the star of this team or not, we didn’t see enough from him in this particular game and, really, the whole World Cup. Little glimpses here or there.”
Those comments came before Pulisic addressed his health after the loss. “I just totally twisted my ankle and my knee in one play. I mean, whatever. I have time to rest. It’s just unfortunate way to finish,” he said. That remark didn't sit well with Lloyd, who took to social media with a pointed message: “You rest when your playing career is over. Period.” The post quickly went viral, amassing over 3.1 million views in less than 12 hours.
Lloyd's critique echoes what many have been saying about Pulisic's World Cup performance. Former U.S. star Landon Donovan also piled on, suggesting Pulisic asked to be subbed out. “This was a game where you needed him to go, ‘Give me the ball, I’m gonna stick it in the back of the net, it’s 2-2, let’s go.’ And he just didn’t. And he wasn’t even close to it,” Donovan said via Awful Announcing. “And in fact … there’s reporting that he asked to get subbed out of the game. I can’t confirm that, so I don’t know if that’s true or not. But the reality is, he came out of a World Cup knockout game at home, with his leg still intact. Because … you would have had to [expletive] drag me off the field. And I would have punched the doctor in the face and said, ‘You’re not taking me off the field. Put whatever you need to put in me, and I’m staying on the field.’”
Donovan's former teammate, ex-U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, was more cryptic but still critical. “What I would say about him is when someone shows you who they are, you believe them. I think he’s a nice footballer. I still think he’s the best player on the team. Outside of that, you’d have to ask me very direct questions to which I could give you very direct answers,” Howard said.
The backlash comes as the USMNT's World Cup exit shattered viewership records, with 30 million fans tuning in for the Belgium match. The high stakes only amplified the disappointment in Pulisic's performance. Fellow women's star Sydney Leroux also ripped into Pulisic, saying he “rested the entire World Cup,” further fueling the fire.
For Pulisic, the criticism isn't just about one game—it's about a pattern of failing to deliver when it matters most. As the face of American soccer, the pressure is immense, and the clock is ticking for him to prove he can handle it.
