The recent uncertainty surrounding Christian Pulisic’s fitness finally came to an end — and with it, a delicate tug-of-war between club and country. After missing several weeks with a hamstring injury, the Milan forward had returned to full training and featured in last weekend’s Serie A 2-2 draw against Parma. But while fans in Italy are celebrating his recovery, supporters of the U.S. men’s national team were left asking why their captain was omitted from the November friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay.
The answer, as it turns out, is both personal and revealing. Pulisic has now explained his absence — offering a seven-word statement that captures his mindset as he works toward full recovery. The 27-year-old sustained the injury in October during the U.S. national team’s friendly against Australia, just as his early-season form with Milan was peaking.
The setback forced him to miss four matches, even as Milan managed to remain unbeaten. But the winger’s focus, for now, isn’t on international duty — it’s on protecting his health and regaining top form. MilanNews.it reported that the Italian club reached an agreement with U.S. Soccer to allow Pulisic to remain in Italy during the international break. The decision was mutually agreed upon, designed to avoid the strain of transatlantic travel and reduce the risk of recurrence.
For the Rossoneri, this was a crucial win in a season already plagued by injuries. For Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT head coach, it was a case of what he called “common sense.” “It’s not common sense to call a player,” Pochettino said earlier this month. “It was a small injury. We never risk players. The decision was to allow him the possibility to recover 100%, to be full and ready to play after the international break with his club team.”
Mauricio Pochettino and Christian Pulisic.
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Pulisic’s seven words that explained it all
Speaking to CBS Sports’ Kate Scott in an exclusive interview on Paramount+, Pulisic laid bare his reasoning — and his seven-word explanation said it all: “Time now to fully care for myself.”
He expanded, “Speaking with the people at Milan, but also when I was leaving the national team, we had good conversations. I haven’t come back and played yet, so I don’t think it’s right for me to fly over there and try to get my first games back with the national team when I just want to make sure I have the time now to fully care for myself and make sure that my hamstring is doing well and allow other guys to take the place.”
His message was clear: this was not a case of neglecting country, but of prioritizing health — for his own sake and for both teams. “I think it’s just the best decision for everyone right now,” he added.
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Pulisic admitted that the injury came at the worst possible time. “Right when it happens, it’s so frustrating,” he said. “You have all those thoughts, ‘Why now? Things were going so well at the beginning of the season.’ But honestly, I trust in God’s timing. I trust it’s the best thing for me. I was out a couple of weeks and now I’m already back, so I’m lucky it wasn’t worse.”
The 27-year-old described the loneliness of recovery in candid terms: “As a footballer, the times when you’re injured and can’t play on the weekends — it’s the worst time for us. You watch your team train, and it’s tough. But that feeling is what pushes you to want to get back quicker.”
Still, the winger remains upbeat. Pulisic has already made an impact in his debut season in Serie A, scoring six goals and providing two assists before his brief layoff. His full return is timely for Milan, which will soon face Inter in a high-stakes derby on November 23.
