Christian Pulisic’s World Cup of TV stardom and ‘little glimpses’ ends in disappointment

For much of the star's career, this tournament has been held as a high-water mark. Instead much of the USMNT's success came without his involvement

There was a 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 overwhelming. For eight years, this World Cup co-hosted by the United States has been viewed as the potential high-water mark of his career and those of his teammates. Every machination of American soccer has operated with signposts displaying 2026" in bold.