Christian Pulisic remains a prominent subject of discussion within the United States men’s national team as the squad prepares for an upcoming friendly against Chile in St. Louis, but his status is only one part of the intrigue surrounding Mauricio Pochettino’s lineup. After a 4-1 victory over Peru opened a new chapter for the USMNT, attention now turns to how the manager will balance his young players with the more experienced names available.
The United States made an impressive start to the post-World Cup cycle, cruising past Peru on Saturday with four different goalscorers. Sebastian Berhalter, Justin Ellis, Julian Hall and Malik Tillman all found the net, while 11 players made their senior debuts, giving Pochettino plenty of reasons to experiment again.
The result also highlighted the depth of the new-look squad, with several teenagers immediately making an impact. Cavan Sullivan was particularly influential on his debut, while Julian Hall scored and assisted after coming off the bench.
The national team has also enjoyed a strong record at Energizer Park, winning all four previous matches at the venue. The United States has not lost to Chile on home soil since 1995, although the latter has won the most recent meeting between the sides, a 1-1 draw in 2019 following Pulisic’s early goal.
Meanwhile, Chile enters the friendly after a 1-0 defeat to Canada, a match that became particularly difficult after the national team finished with nine players. Gabriel Suazo and Lucas Cepeda were both sent off, ruling them out of the meeting with the United States. Interim manager Nicolas Cordova therefore has several decisions to make, particularly on the left side of defence and attack.
So, is Christian Pulisic playing today?
No, Christian Pulisic is not expected to play against Chile because he was left out of the United States squad for the September and October international window. Pochettino selected a roster focused heavily on younger players and fresh faces as the national team begins its 2030 World Cup cycle, while the 28-year-old winger was also coming off a period of recovery following his World Cup injury.
The omission was confirmed when Pochettino announced his 28-player roster, which did not include Pulisic or several other established names. U.S. Soccer described the squad as a blend of experience and potential, with 13 players from the 2026 World Cup team included alongside a new generation of prospects.
Christian Pulisic of the United States participates away from other players during a training session
That means the left side of the attack is open for another player to make his case, with various outlets projecting Cole Campbell to receive his senior debut. The rest of the projected attack features Cavan Sullivan, Gio Reyna and Julian Hall, underlining how dramatically the squad has changed since the World Cup.
With four friendlies scheduled during the international window, Pochettino has plenty of incentive to continue rotating his squad. The manager made 10 substitutions against Peru, while several players who did not feature are now candidates to enter the lineup against Chile.
USMNT vs Chile: Projected lineups
USMNT projected XI (4-2-3-1): Schwake; Dest, Richards, Pierre, Antonee Robinson; Berhalter, Musah; Sullivan, Reyna, Campbell; Hall.
Chile projected XI (4-3-3): Vigouroux; Faundez, Villagra, Roman, Morales; Perez, Pizarro, Nunez; Gutierrez, Tapia, Osorio.
