Donovan Optimistic About Pulisic’s Chances at World Cup
Landon Donovan thinks Christian Pulisic has an amazing opportunity to stand out in this World Cup. He also believes Pulisic has plenty of teammates ready to help share the load.
At 27, Pulisic, now with AC Milan, is seen as the leader of the U.S. men’s national team, much like Donovan has been in the past. But Donovan isn’t just focused on Pulisic; he has faith in the entire U.S. offensive lineup that hails from Hershey, Pennsylvania.
“It’s crucial. The top offensive teams have multiple options,” Donovan mentioned during a virtual chat before heading to Raising Cane’s in Inglewood, California.
He noted that having great players like Messi and Ronaldo succeed isn’t just about their talent. They are surrounded by strong teammates. If opponents decide to concentrate on Pulisic, other players can make an impact.
Last time, in the 2022 World Cup, the U.S. scored just three goals in four matches, with Pulisic directly involved in all of them. This time, he’ll have extra support as they kick off the tournament against Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday.
Pulisic will be joined in the attack by strikers like Folarin Balogun, who has netted 19 goals for Monaco this season, along with Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi, all of whom contributed in a recent friendly victory over Senegal.
Weston McKennie will also play a key role near the goal, and Malik Tillman adds more scoring potential. Notably, Balogun, Pepi, and Tillman weren’t part of the team in Qatar.
“We’re scoring a lot of goals, and that’s not the issue,” Donovan stated. “The real test will be on the defensive end. If we get our defense sorted, we’ll have plenty of chances to score and advance.”
The defense does face challenges, especially with Chris Richards dealing with an ankle injury sustained at Crystal Palace. However, he participated in training last Friday and expressed confidence in his fitness for the opening match against Paraguay.
“We need to be cautious with him because he’s a vital player,” Donovan explained. “In the World Cup, every game counts, but with the expanded format, we have slightly more flexibility. It’s not ideal to rely on that, but I believe they’ll manage his situation wisely.”
Overall, Donovan, who reached the World Cup quarterfinals in 2002, feels quite optimistic about his team’s prospects in the tournament.
He anticipates that the U.S. will secure a top spot among Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey and successfully challenge some of the tournament’s elite teams.
Despite recent losses to Belgium, Portugal, and Germany, the wins against Uruguay and Senegal have sparked some optimism among fans.
“The real question is when they’ll meet the strong teams,” Donovan noted. “The results against top opponents in recent friendlies were less than ideal, with several defeats. It’s crucial to see how they perform in tougher matchups during the tournament.”
“There are plenty of good teams we can face, and for a memorable performance, they’ll need to overcome those top-tier opponents.”
