Christian Pulisic: USMNT will be ‘well-prepared’ by new coach, mum on Chelsea future

Doug McIntyre

Soccer Journalist

Ever since he debuted for the United States men’s national team at the age of 16, Christian Pulisic has viewed representing his country with the ultimate reverence.

This month, after a thoroughly disappointing season with Chelsea in the English Premier League, playing for the USMNT might be even more special.

“It’s been a really tough season for me personally, and for our team,” the 24-year-old Pulisic said of Chelsea during a chat with national reporters Monday from Los Angeles, where Pulisic rejoined his international colleagues for a training camp ahead of next week’s CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against rival Mexico in Las Vegas.

“I’m really excited to be here and just to get some minutes on the field, and just get back to being that confident player that I know I can be,” Pulisic added. “Just enjoying the game. It feels like it’s been tough to do that lately.”

No wonder. After winning the UEFA Champions League title two years ago in his second campaign with the Blues, Pulisic’s minutes have steadily declined. Some of that had to do with injuries, but much had to do with decisions made by the three managers who have led Chelsea over these last two years: Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and, most recently, Frank Lampard, who came in as a caretaker in April after Potter was fired.

Pulisic made just eight starts in the Prem this past season, down from 19 in each of his first two years at Stamford Bridge. The brightest part of 2022-23 for Pulisic came in November when he was away from Chelsea during the break for FIFA World Cup. In Qatar, the U.S. headliner’s game-winning goal over Iran sent the Americans to the knockout stage.

Still, Pulisic was rooted mostly to the Chelsea bench afterward. The free-spending Blues finished a dismal 12th — fueling speculation that Pulisic will leave the club when Europe’s summer transfer window swings open on July 1.

“It [has] been interesting journey at club level for me,” Pulisic said Monday. “The last couple of years just haven’t gone at all how I planned them to be.

“Right now, my focus is obviously here with the national team, and from there, this summer obviously you’re going to have going to see what happens,” added Pulisic, who has one year remaining on his contract with the Blues. “I’m a Chelsea player and I plan to go back, but a lot of things a lot of things can happen. A lot of things can change.”

A lot has changed with the USMNT, too. The American men are now on their third coach since December 2022. Gregg Berhalter’s deal expired after the World Cup, though he ostensibly he remains a candidate to return to a job that has been filled on a temporary basis since by former assistants Anthony Hudson and now by B.J. Callaghan, who was named the interim coach last week.

“It’s all come as a bit of a surprise for us,” Pulisic said of the latest switch. “B.J. has been a part of Gregg’s staff, we know him well, we know what he’s all about. He’s not going to come in and try to change everything.

“We’re gonna be well-prepared.”

New U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker is still aiming to hire a full-time coach to lead the Americans through the 2026 World Cup — which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico — by summer’s end. Pulisic said that he and the squad’s other senior leaders have “given our input as much as we can,” behind the scenes, though he pointed out that they also understand that “it’s not our job as players to appoint a manager.”

Still, as he did back in March when he was last summoned by his country, Pulisic publicly backed Berhalter to return.

“I think he should be considered,” he said of Berhalter, who is reportedly a candidate to take over Swansea in England’s second-tier championship. “I think he did a great job with the team, brought us a long way.

“I think a lot of people — and a lot of guys in the [U.S.] team especially — would agree with that.”

Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter at @ByDougMcIntyre.