With the United States set for its World Cup opening match on Friday, what is exactly is required from star forward Christian Pulisic in order to make an impact this summer?
Expect him to let his playing do the talking.
“Christian Pulisic is never going to be the personality people want him to be, the leader people want him to be. He’s going to lead by example,” FOX Sports analyst Alexi Lalas told Colin Cowherd on Monday’s edition of “The Herd.”
Following a narrow 2-1 loss to Germany in the final tune-up match before the World Cup, Lalas went on to predict how Pulisic will handle his role as the focal point of the American attack.
When Cowherd questioned what kind of production is mandatory from Pulisic, Lalas countered that fans and media shouldn’t wait for the star forward to transform into a vocal leader in front of the cameras.
“He’s not particularly gregarious or larger-than-life when you see him interviewed. He doesn’t need to be that,” Lalas added.
Alexi Lalas on USMNT’s ‘good vibes’ entering FIFA World Cup, Pulisic | FULL INTERVIEW | The Herd
Instead, Lalas thinks Pulisic’s influence is completely tied to his play on the field.
“He just needs to go on the field, take players one-on-one and in doing so, he’s going to draw plenty of defenders, open up space for others and then, he’s going to do what he’s so good at doing: beating players and providing the assist or finishing off the goal,” Lalas said.
“He needs to be the star in the sense that he needs to dominate games. I think he can in this World Cup.”
No Longer Underdogs
Christian Pulisic will lean on his on-field leadership. (Getty Images0
Lalas reiterated that because this modern roster has received backing and resources from a young age, the old safety net of hiding behind the underdog label has expired.
“Ultimately, when it comes to this team, we should expect more from this U.S. team than we ever have in the past. I don’t think that’s irrational or unfair to do that. Not grumpy ‘old-manning’ this, but this is a generation that’s been given absolutely everything from a very young age, and with that comes higher expectations,” Lalas said. “America, you should expect your team to win this group.”
If the U.S. takes care of business and wins Group B, which features Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye, the new 48-team tournament structure sets up a lighter path for the program in the single-elimination phase.
“Now, you’re in this Round of 32, in which you’d be playing a team that you’re better than,” Lalas pointed out. “We’ve never been in a men’s World Cup where we’re playing in a knockout game against a team that we’re better than. You take care of business there, and you’re back to the Round of 16.”
Should they navigate that unfamiliar territory as the hunted rather than the hunter, the unique advantage of playing on home soil could push the team into uncharted territory.
“You need a little help from the soccer Gods there, but this team, especially with the magic of [home] World Cup … you’re in some rarified air.”
Cowherd didn’t hesitate to drop a bold prediction of his own, projecting that the U.S. will not only advance from the group stage but win two games in the knockouts.
“We’ve added [more] teams in this World Cup and they’re not powerhouse teams,” Cowherd noted. “There are some wins here potentially on the docket.”
2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch
The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX and FS1 with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps.
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