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United States Men’s Soccer team legend Tim Howard has opened up about Christian Pulisic’s beef with fellow US Soccer legend Landon Donovan and the ongoing criticism of the current crop of USMNT players. A majority of the team is skipping this summer’s Gold Cup tournament.
Before Tim Howard’s entry into the discourse, a quick recap about the drama surrounding a United States Men’s National Team that’s just a year out from co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.
The current roster of USMNT mainstays have been facing criticism from both American soccer fans and iconic vets like Howard and Donovan for skipping out on this summer’s Gold Cup for rest and recovery.
“This is what it means to represent your country. And if you don’t want to take this, as a professional soccer player and someone who gets the opportunity to wear that jersey and take it seriously and responsibly, then don’t come in. This is what it means,” Donovan previously said.
“He’s (Ronaldo) 40 years old, he played a long-as season, he’s tired, he was out there grinding and hurt himself in the process. And I can’t help but think about some of our guys on vacation right now not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It’s p—— me off.”
Christian Pulisic’s dad Mark, in an embarrassing since-deleted post on Instagram, used ChatGPT — he couldn’t even be bothered to compile the information and formulate a coherent sentence on his own — to take a shot at Donovan, referencing when he took a sabbatical during his 30-year-old season in 2012-2013 (Pulisic is 26). Christian also showed his support by liking the post.
“This guy [tagging Landon Donovan] is talking about commitment,” Pulisic’s father’s Instagram caption read. “Look in the mirror + grow a pair and call names out, or are you afraid? Next time you want an interview, you will get rejected again.”
On a recent episode of their podcast, Tim Howard weighed in on the debate and shared his side of the story, saying that Pulisic direct messaged him on Instagram to tell Howard he was out of line.
“My issue is you’re [Donovan] an easy target, because he mentioned [recites Mark Pulisic’s Instagram post]. Here’s what happened. Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie have all been asked to come on our show and have refused. I mentioned something about Pulisic in the media, he responded me in direct message on Instagram,” Howard explained.
“He sent me a note saying ‘I thought you were out of order — I didn’t like what you said.’ I responded, ‘You may or may not have a point, give me a call, here’s my number, let’s discuss it, if we disagree, we disagree. So for his Dad to come out and attack you, and basically say, ‘You’re not getting an interview because… we’re not getting an interview from Pulisic not because of you, but because of me… If Mark Pulisic wants to text me, his son has [my number].”
Putting aside the fact that having your Dad publicly speak out on your behalf when you’re a 26-year-old — especially if you’re a multi-million dollar international professional soccer player — is deeply embarrassing, CP and the current USMNT face a few issues here. Quickly, though, it does need to be acknowledged that the current era of elite soccer players ARE overworked.
One: Howard and Donovan, alongside Clint Dempsey, are on the Mt. Rushmore of the USMNT. Their words matter and their criticism, whether or not you think it’s warranted, is not just permitted but necessary
Secondly, this current USMNT roster is widely considered to be the most talented group in our nation’s history, have a world class manager in Mauricio Pochettino, and they STINK right now. They stink to such an extent that they have virtually no leverage or ground to stand on when being called out for a perceived lack of heart because their results over recent months suggest exactly that.
Regardless of which side of the issue you ultimately fall on, the USMNT is in a bad spot with the World Cup just 12 months and change away.