Christian Pulisic has long been used to carrying expectations, both for club and for country. But as the countdown to the 2026 World Cup accelerates, the USMNT captain has received an unexpected warning from much closer to home. Inside the Milan dressing room, where alliances are built daily, a teammate has openly admitted that friendship will be put aside if their paths cross on soccer’s biggest stage. What sounds like a threat is, in truth, a reflection of how deeply national rivalry still cuts—even between close friends.
The American’s importance at the San Siro is no longer up for debate, as he has become one of the club’s most reliable and influential figures, translating consistency into numbers and leadership. Last season alone, Pulisic recorded 29 goal involvements (17 goals, 12 assists), and he has continued that impact into the current campaign. His value has been such that the club hierarchy and coach Massimiliano Allegri are actively working toward a new contract that could make him one of the highest-paid players within the club.
That stature has also carried into the dressing room. Pulisic is widely respected, not just for performance, but for presence. Among those closest to him is a teammate who arrived in Italy amid major expectations but has endured a far more turbulent spell. Despite struggling for form and fitness, the striker has leaned heavily on Pulisic during difficult moments, forging a bond that goes beyond soccer. Yet that friendship has a clear expiration date.
The warning came not through whispers, but directly—and publicly. Speaking in an interview, Milan forward Santiago Gimenez explained how the dynamic shifts once club colors are replaced by national ones. “If we play a game for our countries, we are enemies, we are rivals,” he told ESPN, before delivering the line that ignited headlines across the soccer world. “But if he’s playing against Mexico, of course, if I need to kill him, I kill him!”
The words were deliberately provocative, but the context softened the blow. The Mexican striker immediately added that Pulisic had been “one of my best friends” and “a really good friend in this difficult moment of injury rehab.” Still, the message was clear: club loyalty ends the moment the World Cup begins.
Santiago Gimenez looks ahead to World Cup and USMNT rivalry despite injury
The Mexico international striker joined Milan in January 2025 after a prolific spell at Feyenoord. His move, valued at $38 million, was meant to elevate the Rossoneri’s attack. Instead, injuries and inconsistency have stalled his progress. Gimenez has scored just seven goals in 30 appearances, and a persistent ankle issue ultimately required surgery, ruling him out for months.
While Gimenez has been sidelined, the Serie A side has leaned on Pulisic, Rafael Leao, and others, remaining unbeaten domestically since the opening day of the season. Allegri has managed workloads carefully, with favorable fixtures ahead that could coincide with Gimenez’s return—possibly just in time for a pivotal derby.
Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez of AC Milan.
For Gimenez, however, club soccer is only half the story. The striker is central to El Tri’s World Cup ambitions, sharing the scoring burden as the nation prepares to host matches on home soil. “To play a World Cup in your country is amazing,” he said.
The pressure is immense, but so is the motivation. That ambition inevitably circles back to Pulisic. The United States and Mexico rivalry remains one of international soccer’s most emotionally charged, and Gimenez does not shy away from it. “If he puts on the shirt of the USA, he’s a rival,” he insisted.
