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Christian Pulisic’s 18-game goalless streak for AC Milan isn’t good news for the United States men’s national team with the 2026 World Cup just weeks away. But FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas found AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri’s comment about Pulisic’s sensitivity just as concerning.
“The last thing you want a coach to call sensitive,” Lalas said on the latest episode of his “State of the Union” podcast.
“Christian Pulisic, as a soccer player, has certainly developed and matured into what I think will ultimately be considered the best American men’s soccer player in history. But he hasn’t become the player that a lot of people envisioned. I also think that external things can have an impact on him, and maybe he takes them personally, and maybe he’s more emotional than you would like.”
Allegri called Pulisic “very sensitive” following a recent match, adding that the American star is letting his goal droughts “affect him more.”
“He’s a player who makes tackles and struggles more. He suffers more from it,” Allegri said. “I have to try to give balance to the team by playing without a real center forward, he has more difficulty.”
Lalas continued to point out that Allegri’s comment was far from ideal for Pulisic.
“If it’s just a recognition of how he sees this player? That’s great,” Lalas said. “But from an audience perspective, it’s just not what you want to hear.”
Pulisic has been one of the United States’ star players over the years, ranking fifth all-time in goalscoring for the United States with 32 goals in 82 appearances. Additionally, Pulisic became the youngest American player to score 10 international goals in 2019.
However, Pulisic’s goal-scoring problems have also existed in international play. He has not scored in his last seven matches for the United States men’s national team, with his last international goal coming in a friendly against New Zealand in September 2024.
But Pulisic had a moment where he rose to the occasion at the last World Cup. Pulisic pushed the United States into the round of 16 with his decisive goal against Iran in the 2022 tournament. Now, with a World Cup on U.S. soil looming, the pressure is on Pulisic to once again deliver on his promises.
FIFA World Cup 2026: how to watch
The World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The 104 matches of the tournament will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every game broadcast live and on demand in the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
