Christian Pulisic, the winger for the United States, has come to the defence of his choice to withdraw from the CONCACAF Gold Cup, asserting that those doubting his dedication to the national side are “well out of line”.
After featuring in 50 matches for AC Milan during the recently finished season, Pulisic expressed that prioritising rest and recovery was the best decision for himself and the team, particularly with the World Cup approaching in the US, Mexico, and Canada next year.
USA Today reports that Yunus Musah and Antonee Robinson will also miss the Gold Cup, taking place from June 14 to July 6, despite not being sidelined by injury.
Former US icons Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas were among those who voiced criticism towards players opting out of the tournament, a stance that did not resonate well with Pulisic.
“It’s difficult when it comes to those guys because I admired them growing up; they were my idols, and I hold them in high regard as players,” the 26-year-old shared during a CBS Sports podcast on Thursday.
“It’s particularly frustrating when some of them express support and friendship in private but then contradict themselves publicly.
“You can critique my performances, but questioning my commitment to the national team is, in my view, completely out of line.”
On Tuesday, the US experienced their fourth consecutive defeat, suffering a 4-0 loss at home to Switzerland in a friendly match.
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