Pulisic hits out at critics after goal: “hopefully they can stop talking”

Israel and Trump hadn’t attacked Iran. Nicolás Maduro was still in Venezuela. Mamdani wasn’t the Mayor of New York City. Bulgaria weren’t using the Euro.

This is how the world was the last time Pulisic had scored a goal.

Take just his goals for the national team, and the world looked a lot different.

The restored Notre Dame cathedral hadn’t opened. Hunter Biden hadn’t been pardoned. Taylor Swift was still on her Eras Tour. Pope Francis was still alive. Rafa Nadal hadn’t retired.

So when Pulisic finally scored, the first thing he did was remind everyone just how good his form had been, revealing to us all that he had been playing “really well” in the time between goals. “I felt this confidence,” he added, without making clear whose confidence, apart from his own, he had felt. It certainly wasn’t Pochettino’s, who admitted after the game that this was the "first time we cannot complain" about his performances in the USMNT shirt.

“So hopefully now people can stop talking about it," he added. “And I feel good and now.”

Pulisic reminded everyone that “obviously” the game was “just a friendly,” and scoring one against Senegal is not a plea for the Ballon d’Or.

Pochettino sets demands for Pulisic

Pochettino himself spoke about Pulisic, reminding the media, who lay a lot of pressure on his shoulders, that “he still has the potential to improve” while also saying “I think now we need to try to extend (his performance) for 90 minutes.”

“I am happy for him also because after a long time, a few months, he scored again,” Pochettino admitted. “Obviously, that is important for our players in the preparation to the World Cup.”

The USMNT begin against Paraguay on Friday, June 12 at 9:00 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, before facing Australia on Friday, June 19 at 3:00 p.m. ET at Lumen Field in Seattle. Mauricio Pochettino’s side then return to Los Angeles for a final group-stage showdown with Turkey on Thursday, June 25 at 10:00 p.m. ET, again at SoFi Stadium.

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