Christian Pulisic’s fitness has become a growing concern for the USMNT as the World Cup moves closer, with the winger again dealing with injury issues at AC Milan.
The 26-year-old has been one of Milan’s key attackers this season, but his campaign has been disrupted by knocks that have forced him to miss time. It is a familiar theme for Pulisic, whose quality has rarely been questioned, but whose availability has often been a talking point for both club and country.
Speaking about Pulisic’s situation, USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted the staff are monitoring his condition closely and underlined how important he is to the national team.
“He’s an important player that we wish could be fit,” Pochettino said, as he highlighted the balance the U.S. must strike between relying on one of its leading talents and managing his workload.
Pulisic’s stop-start spells in Italy come at a time when the USMNT are building toward the 2026 World Cup. With the tournament on home soil, the United States are expected to lean heavily on their most proven players in Europe — and Pulisic is central to those plans when healthy.
For Milan, Pulisic has been used in a major role since arriving, contributing with goals and assists when available. But each absence has also shown how difficult it can be to maintain rhythm, both for the player and for a team chasing results across domestic and European competitions.
The latest setback has again raised questions about how the USMNT will manage him through camps and international windows. Pochettino’s comments made it clear the staff view Pulisic as vital, but that his long-term fitness will shape how much they can build around him on the road to the World Cup.
