​IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Blake Dahlin, The Dan Patrick Show. As we look ahead to the future, there will inevitably be a day when fans reflect fondly on the USMNT’s journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but for now many are still processing the 4-1 defeat to Belgium that left the team stunned and fans hungry for answers. Expectations had been sky-high, and the subsequent criticism aimed at the USMNT, especially at star Christian Pulisic, has been widespread since Monday’s loss. Among the voices weighing in with strong critiques is Apple MLS analyst Taylor Twellman, who offered his take during a Wednesday conversation on the Dan Patrick Show about what went wrong in that pivotal match and whether Pulisic’s World Cup performance warranted any kind of asterisk.
“If anyone’s a little surprised that he struggled in this World Cup, you didn’t read the tea leaves,” Twellman told Patrick, emphasizing that Pulisic’s current form should not be viewed in isolation from his overall career trajectory. “Listen, Christian’s a fantastic player, and I still think he’s always going to be in the conversation for the best American player ever. But you can’t be naive and not remember what happened between January 1st and the World Cup.” Twellman highlighted that Pulisic had zero goal contributions for AC Milan from January 1st to the start of the World Cup, contrasting that with a period in the 2024-25 season when he finished second in Serie A for goal contributions. “Before that stretch, he was producing assists and playing a true playmaker role,” Twellman noted. “He’s not just a goalscorer; he’s a creator, someone who can make things happen in ways few players can. He’s your guy for the United States.”
Twellman’s analysis continued, pointing out that the period from January 1, 2026, to the start of World Cup camp before the Senegal match yielded zero goal contributions for Pulisic. “So if anyone’s a little surprised that he struggled in this World Cup, well, you didn’t read the tea leaves,” he repeated, underscoring that one must consider form and context over an extended timeline. Yet Twellman acknowledged that Pulisic delivered solid showings in key moments: “But then Senegal came. And he was really good. And then Germany came and he was solid. And then the first 45 minutes against Paraguay, I was thinking, hold on a second—then he got injured.”
In Twellman’s view, there is no asterisk to offset Pulisic’s World Cup performance. “There’s no asterisk,” he stated firmly. “It’s a long-winded answer to your question. There’s no asterisk. Everyone on the field against Belgium was not good enough. It wasn’t because Pulisic didn’t do anything in the attacking third. They all fell short.” The broader takeaway, Twellman suggested, is less about any single player and more about a collective effort that failed to meet expectations on the biggest stage.
Looking ahead, there will be plenty of postmortems, retrospectives, and soul-searching as the USMNT prepares for future competitions, with the 2030 World Cup serving as a long-term horizon to recalibrate, regroup, and reassemble. The discussion surrounding Pulisic’s form will undoubtedly continue, but Twellman’s stance remains clear: the narrative shouldn’t hinge on an asterisk, and the blame should be distributed across the entire squad as they pursue a path forward. This perspective aligns with a broader sentiment that, while individual performances matter, football is a team sport, and the result against Belgium reflected collective shortcomings rather than a lone failing by one star. The post Taylor Twellman: Those surprised by Christian Pulisic’s struggles ‘didn’t read the tea leaves’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.