Pochettino Faces Criticism Over Pulisic Gold Cup Omission

U.S. men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino stated that players do not decide their match participation, following Christian Pulisic's decision to skip the Concacaf Gold Cup but offer to play in pre-tournament friendlies. Pochettino excluded Pulisic from both the friendlies and the tournament, citing the need for squad consistency, and faced backlash from former players and commentators over the decision. Pulisic, who has played heavily for AC Milan, said he respected but did not fully understand the exclusion and called criticism of his commitment 'way out of line.' The U.S. lost both friendlies, extending a four-game losing streak, and will be without Pulisic and several other key players for the Gold Cup. Pochettino emphasized that coaching and medical staff, not players, determine rest and roster selections. He compared Pulisic’s situation to other players recovering from injury, highlighting the importance of team discipline.