Christian Pulisic won’t captain USMNT at the World Cup as coach Mauricio Pochettino backs Tim Ream for the role

Less than two weeks from now, the USMNT will begin its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with the goal of delivering a performance that matches expectations as one of the tournament’s hosts. Despite Christian Pulisic being the biggest star in the squad, Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that Tim Ream will wear the armband.

“Tim is my captain, he’s the captain of the USMNT,” Pochettino said of the Charlotte FC defender during a press conference on Saturday that both attended. “He has the experience, he has the capacity to be the leader we want. A positive leader.”

The Argentine coach then explained why he chose Ream for the role: “I am so grateful he is with us. He is a great captain not only on the field but more importantly off the field. For me, one of the most important things is to connect with the players, through the players with more experience. He’s amazing, we’re so lucky to have a player like him, with his personality, who helps young players evolve.”

Tim Ream became Pochettino’s first captain after taking charge of the USMNT, wearing the armband in a friendly against Panama in October 2024. Since then, he has captained the team every time he has been in the starting lineup, a total of 17 matches, while spending six other games on the bench.

“This is more than a dream come true,” Ream said about the opportunity Pochettino has given him to captain the USMNT. “It’s the highest honor for me.” The defender will play in his second World Cup after appearing in all four of the team’s matches at Qatar 2022.

Ream’s place in the lineup is not guaranteed, says Pochettino

Despite the praise and confidence he has shown in Tim Ream, Mauricio Pochettino made it clear that being captain does not guarantee a place on the field. “Playing or not playing, he’s the captain,” the coach said.

“Although he is the captain, he’s not sure on the starting eleven. It doesn’t mean that,” Pochettino immediately clarified with a smile while patting the defender on the shoulder. “With or without an armband, he’s our captain and a great guy.”

Has Christian Pulisic ever captained the USMNT?

Tim Ream’s appointment as captain means other leaders within the USMNT will not wear the armband. Among them are Tyler Adams, who served in that role during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and Christian Pulisic. The AC Milan forward is, of course, one of the most important players in the squad and has previously had the opportunity to captain the USMNT.

He first wore the armband in a friendly against Italy in November 2018 when he was just 20 years old, and he went on to do so 28 more times in the years that followed. Under Mauricio Pochettino, Pulisic has captained the team twice: in the 2025 Concacaf Nations League against Canada and in a friendly against Australia, also last year.