IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Blake Dahlin
Christian Pulisic has spoken out following the USMNT's exit from the World Cup
United States men’s national team star Christian Pulisic has released a statement following the USMNT’s exit from the World Cup after a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16. Pulisic has face widespread criticism in the aftermath of the match.
In the wake of the USMNT’s disappointing exit from the World Cup at the hands of Belgium, much of the discussion in the media and among American soccer fans has been about Christian Pulisic: from his decision to pull himself off with an injury in the Round of 16 match to his attitude after the game to his overall legacy.
Not only have fans been piling on Pulisic, but so have former players, most notably Carli Lloyd and Landon Donovan. During Fox’s postgame show after the United States’ loss on Monday night, Lloyd immediately said that Pulisic was a “disappointment” before later taking a shot at him on social media after comments he made about being able to rest now that his World Cup is over.
Donovan, on the other hand, criticized Pulisic’s decision to skip last summer’s Gold Cup for the sake of getting healthy, only to then miss much of the World Cup due to injury.
Christian Pulisic released a statement on Instagram following the USMNT’s disappointing loss to Belgium in the Round of 16 at the World Cup
Amid the backlash, Pulisic released a statement on Instagram thanking the fans and acknowledging that their performance “wasn’t good enough.”
“Tough to find the words. I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who believed. The support carried us all the way through. It simply wasn’t good enough from us in the end and I wanted to deliver so much more. I still feel blessed to be a part of this team. The memories this summer will last a lifetime. It’s just the start for us and for this sport in America,” Pulisic wrote on Instagram.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Blake Dahlin
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - United States v Belgium - Seattle Stadium, Seattle, Washington, U.S. - July 6, 2026
Christian Pulisic of the U.S. looks dejected as he applauds fans after the match following their elimination from the World Cup IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Blake Dahlin
In the Round of 16 matchup against Belgium, Pulisic was subbed out on the 57th minute. He played just 45 minutes against Paraguay in the opener and missed the second group stage match, a 2-0 win over Australia. In the third and final group stage game, a 3-2 loss to Turkiye, he came on as a sub in the 57th minute. Against Bosnia & Herzegovina in the Round of 32, he played 88 minutes in the 2-0 win — his most of the tournament.