Pochettino vows cultural overhaul at USMNT in apparent dig at Pulisic's World Cup rest decision

Mauricio Pochettino has declared a “new start” for the United States men’s national team, vowing to overhaul its culture and standards — and taking what appeared to be a pointed swipe at star forward Christian Pulisic in the process.

Speaking during an online question-and-answer session with reporters on Monday, Pochettino addressed the mindset that led several players, most notably Pulisic, to opt out of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup in favour of rest ahead of the 2026 World Cup. “It was difficult to make the roster for the Gold Cup one year before because the mindset was different,” he said. “You say, ‘If I play, I have not holidays. I cannot arrive fresh for the World Cup.’… You know now that is bull----.”

Pulisic, widely considered the standout player in the American squad, withdrew from Gold Cup selection citing the need to recover after his season with AC Milan and to stay sharp for the World Cup. The decision drew scrutiny after he failed to score in four appearances at the tournament, missing one group-stage match through a calf problem before fracturing his right tibia and fibula in the round of 16 defeat to Belgium on July 6.

His club form had also dipped sharply. After scoring 10 goals in his first 15 matches for AC Milan last season, Pulisic went without a goal in the following 19 fixtures after December 28, and has not featured off the bench in the club’s opening three games of the current campaign.

Pochettino, who succeeded Gregg Berhalter in the autumn of 2024 and signed a four-year contract announced last month, framed his return in unambiguous terms. “A new process, new project, new rules, new principles,” he said, speaking from London. “I think that the headline needs to be that it is a new start, a fresh start. And I think we need to change habits.”

“We need to create a group of players that are really being professional and compete in the way that we expect that they need to compete,” he added.

The manager is set to name his squad on September 17 for a double window of friendlies against Peru on September 26 in Orlando, Chile on September 29 in St. Louis, Mexico on October 3 in Glendale, Arizona, and Canada on October 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The USMNT’s first competitive fixtures since the World Cup come in Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals in November.

Several players left out of the World Cup squad — including midfielders Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, and Aidan Morris — could earn recalls, while 16-year-old Philadelphia midfielder Cavan Sullivan is among the emerging talents being considered for a senior debut. Pochettino also indicated that 19-year-old Crystal Palace winger Zavier Gozo may be given time to settle at his new club following a summer transfer before being brought into the fold.