Daniel Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
December 3, 2022; Al Rayyan, Qatar; USA manager Gregg Berhalter consoles striker Christian Pulisic (10) after defeat in the round of 16 match against the Netherlands at the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Khalifa International Stadium.
USA Men’s National Team and superstar Christian Pulisic They are just one win away from reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup for only the second time in the modern era.
The United States advanced to the round of 16 on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina despite trailing for more than 30 minutes after a controversial red card to striker Folarin Balogun.
Meanwhile, new manager Mauricio Pochettino has achieved a cult following among USMNT fans here after taking over as the much-maligned manager. Gregg Berhalter in 2024.
Berhalter was sacked after a brutal performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and then an even worse performance at the 2024 Copa America on home soil.
Despite this, Berhalter still voices opinions about Pulisic and the USMNT and gets roasted for it.
Gregg Berhalter says USMNT prevented Christian Pulisic from succeeding
While Pulisic had a very solid performance against Bosnia, he was not the game-changer he had proven to be in his previous appearances for the national team.
Berhalter believes it comes down to tactics and that the U.S. needs to better serve its star striker.
Gregg Berhalter says the US isn’t preparing Christian Pulisic well enough for success 😬
“I don’t think we had enough intention to get the ball to Christian in those (wide) positions.”@RobStoneONFOX | #USMNT pic.twitter.com/ujh2dOqYPR
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) July 2, 2026
“I don’t think we had enough intention to pass the ball to Christian in those (wide) positions,” Berhalter said as part of a wider criticism of Pochettino’s tactics.
It’s no surprise that longtime fans weren’t very interested in what Berhalter said.
“Yeah, let’s ask the guy who got fired for poor performance what we should have done,” one fan wrote on X.
“Gregg, Sincerely, you worked in this group for 6 years and failed. Poch does things with this group that you could never do. Let him cook,” said another.
The reality is twofold.
First, Berhalter is a woefully flawed messenger given his shortcomings as USMNT manager.
Additionally, Pulisic no longer needs to be the main player. sole center of US attack. Players like Balogun and Malik Tillman helped lift that weight off his shoulders.
Of course, getting the ball to Pulisic in open space is never a bad idea. But he is part of a more successful system. And if that includes him being bait sometimes, then so be it.