For much of the star’s career, this tournament has been held as his potential pinnacle. Instead much of the USMNT’s success came without his involvement
There was a clear quiver in Christian Pulisic’s voice as he answered the final question posed to him at the 2026 World Cup.
On its face, the question was straightforward: how did the overall experience of this tournament meet his expectations? The subtext was what got overwhelming. For eight years, this World Cup co-hosted by the United States has been held up as the possible pinnacle of his career and those of his teammates. Every machination of American soccer has operated with signposts displaying “2026” in bold.
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