Christian Pulisic remains the USMNT’s best hope despite recent criticism

Throughout the interview, Pulisic was adamant he made the right decision, insisting that taking this time to recharge will ultimately benefit him in the long run with a World Cup on home turf set to kick off next year.

Pulisic played 50 games across all competitions for AC Milan last season, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists along the way. That’s 13 more games than Donovan played in his busiest campaign (37) in 2003 when he was with the San Jose Earthquakes.

Soccer has changed significantly since Donovan’s day. The sheer amount takes a real toll on the body, especially when a player is as integral to club and country as Pulisic is.

Pulisic’s father, Mark, was quick to point out in a now-deleted Instagram post pointed out that Donovan took a sabbatical in 2013, which ultimately cost him a spot on the 2014 World Cup roster.

It’s unlikely Pulisic will suffer the same fate as Donovan did next year. Pochettino may be frustrated with his decision, but "Captain America" is still their best player and integral to any hopes of a decent World Cup run.

Capable of playing anywhere along the front line, his creative spark, close control and eye for a line-splitting pass set him apart from every other player available to Pochettino, especially since fellow child prodigy Gio Reyna has struggled to earn any meaningful game time for the past few seasons.

His experience at the top level of European soccer is also invaluable. Consistently being able to contribute to such teams as Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and AC Milan is something no other U.S. international has. Simply put, he knows how to win.

 The USMNT hasn’t made it past the round of 16 in a World Cup since 2002. Next year provides the perfect opportunity for this new "golden generation" to really shine, and Pulisic should be absolutely key to that. 

The kind of thinking displayed by Donovan and others is incredibly self-destructive.