Prominent soccer figures within the United States team, namely Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah, have openly denounced what they perceive as “malevolent” and “evasive” critiques emanating from past national team participants, as depicted in a freshly unveiled segment of the Paramount+ “Pulisic” documentary.
“In my assessment, the most exasperating aspect, and what I consider the ultimate evasion, is when, especially, numerous commentators express: ‘They lacked the necessary ambition. Their hearts weren’t in it. Back when we played, we were prepared to fight and give our all on the field,'” Pulisic conveyed in the docuseries’ eighth episode, which was recorded earlier in the summer season.
Within the episode, which meticulously portrays a subpar performance stretch by the U.S. throughout 2025, alongside Pulisic’s choice to prioritize “what’s best for myself” through a break from the summer’s Gold Cup, Weah also added his sentiments regarding the escalating criticisms voiced by commentators and former USMNT members.
“These individuals are primarily focused on monetary gains, and personally, I perceive them as genuinely malevolent, to be frank, given their background as players who understand the experience of facing severe criticism,” Weah remarked. “Paradoxically, these are often the same individuals who will approach you, extend a handshake, and aim to establish a friendly connection.”
Statements from both players, as well as Mark Pulisic (Christian’s father), suggesting that former U.S. professionals “should engage in self-reflection” prior to “engaging in unwarranted criticism,” have amplified the ongoing public contention between the current and preceding cohorts of USMNT prominent figures.
Leading up to the Gold Cup, U.S. luminary Landon Donovan directed a verbal critique toward Pulisic and other significant USMNT personnel who were slated to be absent from the competition, albeit without explicitly identifying any players, asserting: “I can’t dismiss the thought of some of our players enjoying vacations, showing reluctance to partake in the Gold Cup. It’s irritating me.”
The USMNT, bereft of Pulisic and others at the Gold Cup, showcased a roster comprising predominantly second-string players, ultimately securing the second position after succumbing to a 2-1 defeat against rival Mexico in the July 6 championship match.
Prior to the tournament, the U.S. endured a sequence of four consecutive losses, which encompassed a disappointing fourth-place outcome in the Concacaf Nations League.
In response to Donovan — and occurring in the days leading up to the Gold Cup — Mark Pulisic resorted to social media, prompting ChatGPT to elucidate Donovan’s hiatus from the sport during 2012-13.
“Landon Donovan opted for his sabbatical in response to feeling both physically and mentally drained after an extensive period of intense competition and the pressures inherent to being a top-tier athlete,” the AI-generated text conveyed in a June social media post, which garnered an online “like” from Christian.
Former U.S. stalwart Alexi Lalas also expressed disapproval of Pulisic’s absence from the Gold Cup.
Pulisic, while participating on the “Call It What You Want” podcast on the Golazo Network subsequent to his decision, conveyed earlier in the summer: “You are welcome to comment on my on-field displays, by all means, but to question my dedication, particularly in relation to the national team, is, in my estimation, entirely inappropriate.”
Pulisic is actively preparing for the approaching Serie A season with AC Milan, who are poised to initiate their 2025-26 campaign with a Coppa Italia match against Bari on the approaching Sunday. Weah has recently finalized a loan move to Marseille from Juventus and is slated to commence his Ligue 1 involvement against Rennes on the upcoming Friday.
Regarding the USMNT, their subsequent exhibition matches are tentatively slated for Sept. 6 against South Korea, followed by a match against Japan three days thereafter.
