The United States’ two recent friendlies did not lead to much confidence from fans ahead of the World Cup, and Christian Pulisic finds himself with a lot of pressure amid his recent scoring drought. Pulisic has struggled to find the net for AC Milan in recent months, and the star has not scored a goal in a USMNT shirt since November 2024.
During an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports, USA legend Tim Howard encouraged fans not to panic. Howard discussed Pulisic, Team USA’s World Cup chances and his partnership with Hyundai during a wide-ranging interview.
“So, I have zero concerns about Christian Pulisic and the performances,” Howard told Heavy Sports. “I still think even in moments against Portugal, he looks dangerous. That’s important to me. He’ll find his scoring boots. But what worries me at times is when players don’t get in the right positions.
“And he’s getting in the right positions consistently. So, I don’t have any worries about that. And like I said, a top player is not always gonna play with a smile on their face. They’re not always gonna be joyful and free flowing. Sometimes it’s a grind and that’s okay.”
Here’s what you need to know about Pulisic and the USMNT ahead of the World Cup.
Tim Howard on Christian Pulisic: ‘There’s a Lot of Weight’ in Being the USMNT’s Best Player
Pulisic has scored eight goals and notched three assists for AC Milan in 2025-26. Yet, Pulisic is still searching for his first goal in 2026 with his last score coming in December.
Howard admits there is a lot of pressure on Pulisic to perform for the United States, especially in a home World Cup.
“Look, I think Christian Pulisic is far and away our best player and has been for a long time,” Howard noted. “There’s a lot of weight in that. There’s a lot of pressure in that. He’s a top player. He’s shown that for both club and country.
“I think what we miss is you don’t always have to play with a smile on your face. You don’t always have to be going through great moments. You have to be able to sort of navigate your career,” Howard added.
“And there’s gonna be times where you’re red hot. And there’s gonna be times when you’re off. And when you’re off, you dig deeper and you scowl more.
And you find your way through it. And we’re seeing him do that.”
In Celebration of the World Cup, Tim Howard Partnered With Hyundai to Host Soccer Camps Outside of Atlanta
Atlanta has played a major role in the United States’ preparation of the World Cup. The United States hosted Belgium and Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and days later Howard partnered with Hyundai to host a soccer camp in nearby Marietta.
“Hyundai soccer camps, a really cool opportunity,” Howard explained. “Get the kids together for some good coaching, fun time. I get to sort of interact with them in real time.
“They were shooting some shots on me, I was shooting some shots on them, just playing soccer out here, sweating and enjoying the afternoon, and it’s been a lot of fun.”
Soccer fans can expect even more events like this as the World Cup approaches. Eric Thomas, Hyundai’s Director of Experiential and Multicultural Marketing, explained why the brand is leaning into soccer ahead of the World Cup.
“It just happens that this year is the World Cup and really leaning in and connecting with the communities that we live in and work in and sell in and thrive in,” Thomas explained. “So, Georgia is near and dear.
“We’ve got a factory just over the way in Savannah that we just launched a couple years ago. We’ve got great partnerships here in the city, and what better place to be than right here (in Atlanta).”
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