Landon Donovan Says People Inside US Soccer Are Tired of the Christian Pulisic Circus

Landon Donovan doesn’t hold back often. But when he does, it lands.

The USMNT legend went on a podcast after Monday night’s loss to Belgium and basically said what a lot of people around the program have been thinking but won’t say out loud. Christian Pulisic is a problem. Not necessarily him as a player. But everything around him.

Pulisic had a rough game. Subbed off early. The team lost. That part is on the field. The rest of it is a whole different mess.

Donovan, for context, is not some hot take guy. He’s arguably the best American men’s player ever. So when he says he’s been talking to people at U.S. Soccer, to Pulisic’s own sponsors, to teammates and staff and coaches, and the word he uses is “fed up” — that carries weight.

“People are fed up with the way things are handled around him,” Donovan said. “And it’s not necessarily him, but it’s his agents, his family, his hangers-on, the people who are influencing. People are fed up with it. They treat people poorly. They do things poorly. It’s always a ‘no’ whenever you wanna ask, ‘Can we do an interview?’ It’s always a, ‘No, you can’t get near him.’ He doesn’t say ‘hi’ to the commentators who do all the games all the time when they walk by. All the other guys come over and shake hands and say, ‘Hello.’”

Donovan’s message got blunter from there

He didn’t just describe the problem. He told Pulisic directly to “man up.” And he framed this World Cup disappointment as a crossroads for the 27-year-old star.

“This is an opportunity to help and to change your life forever,” Donovan said.

It’s a weird spot for Pulisic. He’s the face of the program. The biggest name. The guy on the jersey in the store. But maybe that’s part of the issue. People around him have built walls. And those walls might be hurting him more than they help.

Taylor Twellman went there too

Another former USMNT striker, Taylor Twellman, dropped a pretty sharp observation about Pulisic’s mindset after the Belgium game.

“You will never hear me say that he doesn’t care playing for the red, white, and blue. I know he does,” Twellman said. “The problem is, he doesn’t want to be that guy. He doesn’t. He thrives when he’s your third attacker like he is for AC Milan. And then he’s one of the best.”

That’s a different kind of criticism. Not about effort. About comfort. About a guy who plays better when he’s not the main character. That’s a problem for the USMNT because there isn’t another Christian Pulisic walking through that door. He has to be that guy. Or the team just caps out where it is.

Carli Lloyd has also weighed in publicly on Pulisic’s performances. The scrutiny is only going to get louder.

Next real chance for the US is Copa America in two years. That feels like a long time. And it also feels like it’s coming fast.