Criticism of Past Players
In a revealing episode of the Paramount+ series “Pulisic,” U.S. soccer stars Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah have strongly criticized past players from the national team for their harsh judgments regarding the current team’s performance. During the eighth installment of the docuseries, which captures a challenging period for the U.S. team in 2025, Pulisic articulated his frustration over former players and commentators suggesting that today’s athletes lack passion compared to previous generations.
“The most frustrating critique is when pundits imply the players didn’t want it badly enough. Back in our day, we’d give everything on the field,”
stressing the unfairness of such comparisons.
Empathy from Former Players
Weah echoed Pulisic’s sentiments, labeling the negativity from these former players as “evil,” suggesting they should empathize with the modern team given their own experiences in the sport.
“They’ve been in our shoes and know the hardships of facing criticism,”
Weah asserted, questioning the integrity of those who might condemn current players while still wanting to maintain cordial relationships off the field.
Recent Controversies
The ongoing dialogue between generations has heated up particularly following Landon Donovan’s recent comments, where he criticized the absence of key players from the Gold Cup, implying a lack of commitment among today’s athletes. Although he didn’t name names, his remarks about players seemingly avoiding competition struck a nerve, drawing responses from the likes of Mark Pulisic, Christian’s father, who urged former pros to be more reflective rather than judgmental.
Amidst this backdrop, the U.S. struggled in the Gold Cup, ultimately finishing second to Mexico after a narrow defeat in the final, worsened by prior losses, including a disappointing finish in the Concacaf Nations League. The absence of stars like Pulisic, who opted to take a break for personal reasons, stoked further debate about player dedication and priorities.
Social Media Responses
Interestingly, in a social media response to Donovan’s perspective, Mark Pulisic shared insights from an AI explanation regarding Donovan’s own hiatus from soccer in 2012-13 due to burnout, underscoring that needing time away is a common plight among athletes.
Looking Ahead
Former player Alexi Lalas also lent his voice to the criticism directed at Pulisic, as the current player reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to the national team despite the backlash. As both Pulisic and Weah prepare for their respective European seasons — with Pulisic set to kick off in Italy with AC Milan and Weah beginning his loan stint at Marseille in France — all eyes will be on the U.S. men’s national team as they gear up for upcoming friendlies slated against South Korea and Japan in September.
