"Lay off him, let him have zero pressure, and just let him perform." That's Brad Friedel's blunt advice on how the US should treat Christian Pulisic — and he has a point.
The former USMNT keeper, capped 82 times, spoke to GOAL.com after the US beat Senegal and identified the five players Mauricio Pochettino simply cannot do without. Pulisic is one of them. But what's more interesting is who else makes the list.
The four guys who hold it all together
Friedel was direct: "I think if you look at the core of the team, it's more important that Chris Richards is fit. It's more important that Antonee Robinson's fit. It's more important that Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie are fit. These are the players I'd say were closer to being undroppable."
That's a telling hierarchy. Pulisic gets the headlines and the shirt sales, but Friedel is essentially saying the team functions when that defensive and midfield spine is intact — and struggles when it isn't. Adams pulling the strings in midfield, McKennie bringing physicality and range, Robinson bombing forward from left back, Richards organizing at center back. Lose two of those four and you're building around a skeleton.
It also reframes how to look at the USMNT's World Cup odds. A fit Pulisic is a bonus. A fit Adams and McKennie is the baseline requirement.
Pulisic's drought is over — for now
Against Senegal, Pulisic ended a goal drought that stretched across club and country in 2026. It wasn't a lucky deflection either — touch around the keeper, clinical finish. The kind of goal that quiets doubters, at least temporarily.
Friedel's broader argument is that the £60 million price tag Chelsea paid for Pulisic warped public expectations from day one. "Not everyone's built to be a leader," he said. Pulisic himself seemed unbothered by the drought in March: "I know a ball will hit off my knee and go in and then things will change. I'm not going to panic." He was right. But the pressure of being the face of every press conference and interview cycle takes something out of a player — Friedel thinks removing that burden unlocks a better version of him.
- Christian Pulisic — ended 2026 goal drought vs. Senegal, needs pressure reduced to perform at his ceiling
- Chris Richards — defensive anchor, his fitness is arguably the most underrated factor in US World Cup preparation
- Antonee Robinson — one of the best left backs in the Premier League, an attacking outlet Pochettino depends on
- Tyler Adams — the engine in midfield, sets the defensive tone
- Weston McKennie — box-to-box presence that gives the US shape in transition
One more audition comes Saturday against Germany before the tournament begins. The US opens their World Cup campaign against Paraguay on June 12th. Pochettino now knows exactly what his best team looks like — keeping them healthy is the only question left.
