US soccer legend Landon Donovan has piled on the criticism of Christian Pulisic following the USMNT’s humiliating exit from the World Cup.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side crashed out of the tournament on home soil with an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the last of 16 on Monday night.
The US team were miles off the pace against their European opponents with the hopes of the nation falling on starman Pulisic as the minutes – and the chances of clawing their way back into the game – dwindled down.
However, ‘Captain America’ was unable to deliver a miracle was forced off with an ankle injury in the second half.
And, in his post-mortem of the devastating loss, Donovan claimed that Pulisic, who also missed games earlier in the tournament through injury, did not deliver the performances expected of him.
‘In the end, he’s your best player, he’s your star player, and it just didn’t happen for him,’ Donovan, the Fox Sports analyst, told Tim Howard, his former USMNT teammate, on his ‘Unfiltered Soccer’ podcast.
US soccer legend Landon Donovan (left) has piled on the criticism of Christian Pulisic (right)
‘I want to be careful because I’m sure people are piling on him, a lot of it he deserves, of course. That’s part and parcel with this role. It’s just disappointing, I was waiting for a moment for him … and it just didn’t happen.’
‘I’m starting to look back, Tim – it’s more than just a trend now. It is,’ Donovan added. ‘Like, when the games are easy, and it’s a home qualifier, and it’s Jamaica, yes. But in the big moments and the big games, he just hasn’t – I’m not criticizing, I’m just saying it factually. He is who he is at this point.’
Donovan acknowledged that he played poorly himself during the 2006 World Cup and admitted that it was tough to face the criticism for it. However, he insisted that Pulisic’s World Cup was ‘disappointing.’
The AC Milan midfielder had sat out the Gold Cup for the USA last year, claiming that he wanted to be ready for this summer’s blockbuster tournament – a decision that drew widespread backlash at the time.
However, Pulisic missed the USA’s second group-stage game against Australia after suffering a calf injury during the USMNT’s World Cup opener against Paraguay.
He returned in their final group game – a loss to Turkey – and played in both knockout games before being subbed off in the 59th minute of Monday’s crushing defeat.
His exit came just minutes before USA goalkeeper Matt Freese’s wild blunder allowed Belgium to score their third.
‘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 f***ing drag me off the field,’ Donovan said.
The AC Milan midfielder’s World Cup was marred by injury throughout the tournament
Pulisic off with an ankle injury in the second half of the US’s World Cup-ending loss to Belgium
‘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.’
USWNT’s two-time World Cup winner echoed Donovan’s criticism of the Serie A star as she doubled down on her blistering attack on Pulisic on Tuesday.
‘You rest when your playing career is over. Period,’ Lloyd, who is serving as an analyst for Fox, tweeted.
Her brutal post came after she had slammed Pulisic on Fox’s postgame coverage of the USA’s elimination.
‘I think big time players, you wanted some of those big time players to step up in big moments,’ Lloyd said on Fox in the post-game inquest.
‘I’ve got to be honest, I was a bit disappointed in 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 and there.
‘I felt like they lost the game before they even stepped out onto the pitch. I’m not sure why. I don’t know the reasons but just from the beginning – chasing, tentative, scared, not confident on the ball.’
Pulisic, meanwhile, stressed the need to rest his ankle in his postgame comments on Monday night, leaving fans furious with the interview.
Carli Lloyd also tore into Pulisic after USA crashed out the World Cup against Belgium
The two-time World Cup winner doubled down on her criticism in a social media post
‘It’s just frustrating to end like that, of course,’ he said on Fox. ‘But now I have time to rest. I feel it’ll be OK.’
He added: ‘I felt really good this summer with the guys and I thought my level was high.
‘I didn’t quite have the moments I was hoping to and to try to help us to really push and get over this next step of beating a really good team.
‘I’m disappointed with myself, of course, but I’m going to try to stay positive. I did a lot of good things and the team did as well.’
