Mauricio Pochettino Hands Christian Pulisic Lionel Messi Challenge | OneFootball

As pressure builds and time runs out on the U.S. men's national team and head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the coach prepares for an important summer. He's not just focusing on building team chemistry and installing a tactical system, also emphasizing how important Christian Pulisic is to his team but also the country they're representing.

Christian Pulisic won't feature for the USMNT this summer after the player and federation discussed giving him a rest after a lengthy European season with AC Milan. It is a decision to keep Pulisic fit, but one that's been scrutinized given the finite opportunities before 2026 for the Argentine coach to get the team firing on all cylinders.

Pochettino sat down with USMNT legends Tim Howard and Landon Donovan on their Unfiltered Soccer podcast ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Pochettino went as far to compare the game's biggest and greatest star, Lionel Messi, to Pulisic, but not in regards to their skill on the pitch. More highlighting the importance of how he's a connecting factor between growing and fostering the relationship between the sport and the country.

The current USMNT coach managed Messi during their time at Paris Saint-Germain together.

“First of all, I think Christian in the last year was showing great quality. He's performing in Europe, and also he's performing here in the national team. He's a very talented player that can help us win.

“You say people compare Messi with Pulisic. I don't want to be disrespectful with Messi or Pulisic, but I think in this country, Pulisic should be our Messi, because he's an iconic player, the kids on the street for sure if you ask one soccer players in the country, it's Pulisic,” Pochettino said to Donovan and Howard.

Pulisic is just one of many USMNT stars slated to miss the Gold Cup. Antonee Robinson, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun and Gio Reyna will all be absent for a myriad of reasons.

Howard called out the national team and coach last week amid multiple absences given the Gold Cup is arguably the team's final opportunity in a competitive setting to show what they're made of. Pressure will be put, rightfully so or not, on this squad and coach to deliver in the Gold Cup without a group of their core talent.

Pochettino highlighted how prioritizing the medium-to-long term is sometimes important over the present, but time is running out as we build toward the 2026 World Cup on U.S. soil. Gold Cup is an extended camp, and an important one, that the coach will have to navigate without a slew of names.

Yet, it's also an opportunity for burgeoning talent like Diego Luna to step up. Pochettino is facing pressure less than a year into the job to deliver results after a demoralizing Concacaf Nations League ending.

“I feel the responsibility. We all feel the responsibility. Knowing that it's soccer or football, it's about the joy, it's about not to put too much pressure on the players, because the players need to perform...

“You need to show that you are brave, that you are a winner, but not talking like I am now. It's easy to talk. The most important [thing] is go and to show. Show on the pitch when you need to defend your flag there, fighting and being a team, that is a moment to say ‘Yes we have quality, I am a good player, but now it's about [defending] your country.’”

The USMNT play Turkiye and Switzerland in international friendlies on June 7 and 10 before kicking off their Gold Cup run against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15.