Christian Pulisic, the United States men's national team's talisman, has faced a sharp public backlash after a disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign that ended in a 4-1 Round of 16 defeat to Belgium. Once the darling of American soccer, the 27-year-old AC Milan forward struggled throughout the tournament, and his post-match remark that he could now "get some rest" drew strong criticism from fans and several US soccer figures, marking a notable reversal in his popularity.

Pulisic's tournament was hampered by injury, as he re-aggravated a calf problem in the opener that cost him roughly two games' worth of action, before rolling his ankle against Belgium and being substituted in the second half. Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard offered pointed advice on his "Unfiltered Soccer" podcast with Landon Donovan, saying he hoped Pulisic would stay off social media and adding the cryptic line that "when someone shows you who they are, you believe them," while still calling him the team's best player. Former USWNT star Carli Lloyd was blunter, stating "You rest when your playing career is over. Period." Pulisic, who had earlier described the World Cup as "just another big tournament," said afterwards that he was "disappointed" in himself but felt the team did "good things".