It's time for Pulisic to shed his flop image.

At the age of 27, a time when he should be at his peak, Christian Pulisic needs to shine to shake off the label of a failed signing for Chelsea, and the World Cup on home soil is a "golden opportunity".

Pulisic is expected to be the leading player for the US national team at the 2026 World Cup.

For many years, Christian Pulisic was considered the face of the future of American soccer. A prodigy who rose through the ranks in Europe, the first American player to win the Champions League, and a signing that Chelsea paid over €60 million to bring to Stamford Bridge. Whenever the US national team entered a major tournament, Pulisic's name was always the first to come up in discussions.

But the 2026 World Cup presents a very different situation. Pulisic is no longer the prospect of the future.

At 27, the US national team captain is entering the prime of his career. This is the age when top world stars usually achieve a balance between experience, composure, and professional ability. No one mentions Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, or Erling Haaland as young talents anymore. The same is true for Pulisic.

TalkSPORT journalist Ben Jacobs has stated frankly what many people are thinking. The media has spent too many years talking about Pulisic's potential. At this point, what fans need is no longer potential, but performances that can make a difference on the biggest stage.

The pressure is immense. American soccer is at a unique juncture. The World Cup is being held on home soil. The MLS is rapidly developing. International stars are constantly arriving. The number of soccer fans is steadily increasing year after year.

However, the national team still lacks a significant enough achievement to take the sport a step further in competition with American football, basketball, or baseball.

Americans believe Pulisic could become the face leading that change. That is both an honor and a pressure.

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In fact, Pulisic has had no shortage of memorable moments in the national team's colors. He has scored crucial goals, contributed to CONCACAF Nations League titles, and has consistently been a source of inspiration in the US team's gameplay.

The problem is that expectations for him are always higher than they seem. Whenever the US team struggles, people look to Pulisic. And whenever the team loses, he's always the first name questioned.

Pulisic has played for many big clubs.

Brad Friedel, a former Liverpool goalkeeper, sees this very clearly. According to him, Pulisic possesses exceptional qualities that no other American player has. But when opponents neutralize this star player, the US team often loses much of its creativity.

That's the paradox that manager Mauricio Pochettino must find a way to resolve. The good news for the US team is that they possess a higher-quality squad than previous generations. Folarin Balogun is in top form and is increasingly perfecting his role as a center. The players around him are also capable of sharing the pressure with the captain.

That could free Pulisic from the excessive marking of his opponents. However, even if the US team is stronger, the story will still come back to the number 10. Because the World Cup is always where great players are defined.

Pulisic has reached the Champions League final. He has played for Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan. But those milestones are still not enough to erase the feeling of incompleteness in the career of a player who was once expected to achieve so much.

The shadow of his disappointing spell at Chelsea still lingers. Doubts about his ability to maintain a high standard in big matches haven't completely disappeared.

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The 2026 World Cup offers him the best chance to answer all of that. The match against Paraguay is just the beginning. After that will be Australia and Türkiye. Further ahead are the knockout rounds and much bigger challenges.

If the US team progresses far, Pulisic will become an icon of a generation. If the host nation continues to disappoint, the familiar questions will resurface.

Therefore, this World Cup is not simply a tournament for the US national team. It is also the World Cup that defines Christian Pulisic's career.

Source: https://znews.vn/da-den-luc-pulisic-ru-mac-bom-xit-post1659148.html