Christian Pulisic’s captaincy of the USA National Team has been criticised a little after the side’s defeat to Canada. However, Thierry Henry has jumped to defend the AC Milan star.
With great power comes great responsibility, a proverb made popular in the Marvel comics, but a proverb that can be translated into many different things. For Pulisic, it is less power and more ability, and in turn, the responsibility often falls on him.
There is no denying that Pulisic is a heavily gifted footballer and Milan have been gifted the pleasure of being able to watch him grow towards his potential, whilst reaping the rewards from this. However, the American National Team are perhaps less grateful.
After the loss to Canada last night, and the loss to Panama in midweek, there have been some heavy criticisms of the team, and its leadership, but French legend Henry feels that the criticisms of Pulisic are perhaps unjust, as he spoke to CBS Sports.
As a manager, have you empowered a player by giving them the captaincy, because you want more from them? Do you need more from Pulisic, so that is why he is the captain…
“The coach is trying to find out who is the captain, but I need to say something. I do think that Christian Pulisic is a good player, a very good one. He is playing week in, week out and delivering in a good team in Europe.
“You also have to stop that narrative that he is not that type of leader. Stop that, don’t force him to be that. He is a technical leader, but is he the enforcer? Gattuso was not Pirlo you know, and vice versa. That does not mean he is not the best player in this team.
“Is he the type of guy that will be vocal? No, he’s not that guy. He is very good at a lot of things, but he doesn’t have that type of leadership. But, that is ok, stop making him something that he’s not. Concentrate on what he does, he’s very good and playing in the best position for him.
“We have to stop the narrative that he will be Clint Dempsey. He’s not. He’s not going to be that guy. He said it himself that he struggles in that role. Right now, stop looking for something that he is not yet.”
“Stop making him something that he’s not.”
Thierry Henry calls for a reality check on the expectations placed on Christian Pulisic's style of leadership 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/DqN5H2iLyR
— Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) March 23, 2025
What is Henry talking about? “but is he the enforcer?” Who actually asked from Pulisic to be the “enforcer”? When? People are calling him out after he captained the team to 2 loses, against teams in which he should score hat tricks. He had one shot at goal. One in 2 games. In total he touched the ball Against Panama and Canada. Not because someone expects him to be an “enforcer”. Henry is a clown, he can’t even understand basic things. Of course fans will ask him, how can you be the captain and not try much harder?
” In total he touched the ball”… 21 times against Canada. That is it. Of course he is called out, they lost to mediocre teams without having real chances.
They once said Messi wasn’t a good captain because he wasn’t very vocal leader. He has completed football since then.
Find a game where Messi had 21 touches and no shots. At any time in his history.
Don’t blame it all on Pulisic. He had led them to three straight Nations League titles. He scored against Brazil and Germany last year. He only played 69 minutes and the team as a whole looked like crap. I think this is a team problem. Not a Pulisic one.
He was by far the worse in their attack. Agyemang and Luna actually tried. And I am not blaming him, the USA fans are. I just watched the game and saw he didn’t do anything, barely touched the ball. If he plays like that for USA they are not in for a good future. + they have that fraud of a manager Pochettino.
Also, Nations League title in that region, I don’t think you should list it as a big accomplishment if you are a pro playing in Europe. Winning against amateurs from islands like Montserat or Saint Kitts and Nevis is showing how good you are? They have populations of under 50k. Total. No professional footballers, maybe 1. So, you win against fisherman and hotel receptionists and that is something to boast with? The whole tournament is you need to beat Mexico. The others are mostly a joke. And then you lose to Panama whose team is worth 4 times less than Pulisic only. And not only once, it happened a few years ago as well.
There wasn’t much complaining when they won the last international trophy. The fact he is the best player in the current squad doesn’t mean he is responsible for the overall result or that he cannot have a bad day every now and then, but he is a grown man and I doubt he will be easily shaken from some USNT criticism in comparison with what he went through in England and now Italy (team-wise).
International trophy? You mean like Gold Cup? Or the “CONCACAF Nations League” I have never seen worse teams in a tournament. Some 2nd league European clubs would beat most of those teams. Saint Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, Cuba, Martinique, Guadeloupe. On second thought I could find people in the park to beat of some of them… Antigua and Barbuda, Sint Maarten and so on. These aren’t even amateurs, wining against them is not celebrated.
I thought the USMNT would improve with their players doing work overseas. Instead… it seems they’ve lost interest in playing for their country. Like they just want to get back to their club teams in one piece. I suppose it’s progress?