SouthernWorldwide.com – As the United States gears up for its opening match in the World Cup this Friday, the question on many minds is what Christian Pulisic needs to do to make a significant impact.
According to FOX Sports analyst Alexi Lalas, Pulisic’s impact will come through his actions on the field rather than vocal leadership.
“Christian Pulisic is never going to be the personality people want him to be, the leader people want him to be. He’s going to lead by example,” Lalas stated during an appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd.
Lalas shared his perspective following the U.S. men’s national team’s recent 2-1 friendly loss to Germany, their final preparation match before the tournament. He believes that fans and media should adjust their expectations regarding Pulisic’s leadership style.
When questioned about the mandatory production expected from Pulisic, Lalas emphasized that the star forward doesn’t need to be a boisterous presence off the pitch.
“He’s not particularly gregarious or larger-than-life when you see him interviewed. He doesn’t need to be that,” Lalas elaborated.
Instead, Lalas sees Pulisic’s true influence stemming directly from his performance during matches.
“He just needs to go on the field, take players one-on-one and in doing so, he’s going to draw plenty of defenders, open up space for others and then, he’s going to do what he’s so good at doing: beating players and providing the assist or finishing off the goal,” Lalas explained.
He added, “He needs to be the star in the sense that he needs to dominate games. I think he can in this World Cup.”
No Longer Underdogs
Lalas also highlighted that the U.S. team is no longer in a position to rely on the “underdog” narrative. This generation of players has benefited from significant support and resources from a young age.
“Ultimately, when it comes to this team, we should expect more from this U.S. team than we ever have in the past. I don’t think that’s irrational or unfair to do that,” Lalas remarked.
“Not grumpy ‘old-manning’ this, but this is a generation that’s been given absolutely everything from a very young age, and with that comes higher expectations,” he continued. “America, you should expect your team to win this group.”
If the U.S. successfully navigates Group B, which includes Paraguay, Australia, and Türkiye, the expanded 48-team format of the tournament could offer a more favorable path in the knockout stages.
“Now, you’re in this Round of 32, in which you’d be playing a team that you’re better than,” Lalas pointed out. “We’ve never been in a men’s World Cup where we’re playing in a knockout game against a team that we’re better than. You take care of business there, and you’re back to the Round of 16.”
Successfully advancing through these unfamiliar waters, where they are the favored team, combined with the advantage of playing on home soil, could propel the U.S. to unprecedented success.
“You need a little help from the soccer Gods there, but this team, especially with the magic of [home] World Cup … you’re in some rarified air.”
Colin Cowherd shared his own ambitious prediction, forecasting that the U.S. will not only advance from their group but also secure two victories in the knockout rounds.
“We’ve added [more] teams in this World Cup and they’re not powerhouse teams,” Cowherd observed. “There are some wins here potentially on the docket.”
2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The tournament, hosted across three countries, will conclude with the final match on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 matches will be broadcast live on FOX and FS1, with every game also available for live streaming and on-demand viewing through the FOX One and FOX Sports apps.
