Christian Pulisic

Christian Pulisic is the USA captain, named in Mauricio Pochettino's final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup and listed as the most experienced player in the roster with 84 caps. The AC Milan forward is 27 at kick-off and brings 32 international goals into the tournament, the attacking focal point for the co-hosts after leading the side in the 2023 and 2024 Nations League finals.

The USA are in Group D with Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, and open against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on 12 June. Pulisic, a left-sided attacker and the USA's penalty taker, is the senior name in Pochettino's front line for the home tournament, and is named in the forward group on the squad confirmed 26 May 2026.

Pulisic is an attacking player who works mainly from the left, with dribbling, directness and the knack of both creating and finishing chances as the core of his game. He drives at defenders, combines on the move, and steps up as the USA's penalty taker when the side wins a spot-kick.

A four-time U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, he is the fastest player to reach 50 goal contributions for the national team. His 32 international goals fit a left-sided forward who carries the attack rather than one who only feeds it from wide.

Pulisic is the attacking name the USA lean on in Goal Rush: 32 international goals, the directness that beats a defender one-on-one, and penalty duty when the co-hosts win a spot-kick. The USA fall in Tier 3, that £17m within the game's £200m card budget.

When he plays, the captaincy and left-sided role make him the clearest USA route from possession to chances: carrying attacks, combining around the box and finishing them himself.