Pulisic said he wanted to play in fixtures with Turkey and Switzerland, but the USMNT coach "said no"
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Christian Pulisic says he offered to play in USMNT friendliesManager Mauricio Pochettino declinedUSMNT lost games against Turkey, SwitzerlandFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Christian Pulisic opted to skip the Gold Cup this summer, but the USMNT star says that he offered to play in June friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland but that coach Mauricio Pochettino declined.
"I did want to be a part of at least the two friendlies," Pulisic said on Call It What You Want podcast. "I did speak with the coaches And I asked. And I wanted to be a part of the team in whatever capacity I could. And they said no, and that they only wanted one roster."
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Pulisic said he was surprised by Pochettino's response.
"It's the coach's decision, I fully respect that," he said. "I didn't understand it, but it is what it is… I had to make the best decision for myself, and in the long run my team – even if clearly some people haven't seen it that way."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Pulisic's comments came in a wide-ranging interview in which the USMNT star addressed some of the criticism he's received after electing not to play in the Gold Cup this summer. The attacking midfielder has been subject of heavy criticism from fans and pundits alike for his decision to sit out the competition, which is set to take place over the next month.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?
The USMNT star has taken a week off, but revealed he will return to training next week. His Milan side are not participating in the Club World Cup, but they will play a handful of preseason friendlies across Asia in late July, starting with a game against Arsenal in Singapore on July 23.
