Recently, one of the decisions made by new USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino has sparked widespread controversy. He did not allow Pulisic, the team's centerpiece player, to play in the friendly against Mexico and allowed him to return to his Milan club early. This decision not only disappointed the fans, but also angered Tim Howard, the former USMNT international goalkeeper. Howard, in his column in the Daily Mail, strongly questioned and dissatisfied with Pochettino's approach.
Howard noted that Pulisic is the most important player on the U.S. team and their best player. This friendly is not just an ordinary training session, it marks the beginning of the Pochettino era and signals that the countdown to the 2026 World Cup has begun. At such a crucial time, Pulisic's absence is undoubtedly a big blow to the team. Howard believes that Pochettino should have paid more attention to Pulisic's role instead of easily letting him miss such an important game.
Howard further urged the US Soccer Federation and Mauricio Pochettino to exert their influence on foreign clubs in order to resolve the conflict between clubs and national teams for international players. He stated that this is not just a problem for Pulisic or Milan, but a dilemma that every great player and every great club faces. It's an ongoing struggle, but sometimes Pochettino, Pulisic and the U.S. team have to show their stance firmly and say to clubs like Milan, "This is the way it is. We need Christian, he needs to play or even if it's just people out there." Howard's comments have certainly added fuel to the fire of this controversy and have raised more concerns about where Pulisic's future will take him between Team USA and Milan's clubs.
