​Amid what seems like an avalanche of criticism directed at U.S. Men’s National Team forward Christian Pulisic, team legend Jermaine Jones has stepped in to defend the AC Milan star. The 27-year-old has become the focal point of much frustration among U.S. soccer fans, including several former USMNT and USWNT players, since the team’s disappointing exit from the FIFA World Cup. Mauricio Pochettino’s side were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Belgium with a 4-1 scoreline, a result that came amid controversy following the Trump Administration’s intervention in striker Folarin Balogun’s red card. For Pulisic, the tournament was underwhelming at best, with his first-half performance in the opening win over Paraguay standing out as his highlight of the competition. He was substituted off in the second half due to a calf injury, which forced him to miss the next match, then appeared as a substitute in the defeat to Türkiye before playing nearly the full 90 minutes in the Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Jones has defended Pulisic, labeling him “the greatest American player of all time.” The 69-time USMNT international argued that the criticism aimed at Pulisic has been unwarranted, taking to social media to say: “I strongly believe Christian Pulisic is the greatest American player of all time. I had the privilege of playing with some of the U.S. players, and for me, no one matches him. What I find disappointing is seeing former players try to downplay his career or talent. Be careful throwing stones when you live in a glass house. Respect what Pulisic has done for U.S. Soccer and outside of America.”
Jones also suggested that responsibility for the team’s struggles should not rest solely on Pulisic’s shoulders, posting on social media: “What about the other players who had a really bad day? [Sergiño] Dest, [Tim] Ream, [Matt] Freese? I watched the game—they all had shockers. So what? That’s football. Bad days happen. They’ll all learn from it, grow, and come back stronger.”
As for Pulisic himself, he issued a statement on social media on Wednesday, acknowledging that it was “tough to find the words,” and began with gratitude, though the rest of the message was not included here. The timing of the post and its fuller content remain to be seen, particularly given the ongoing scrutiny after the World Cup campaign.