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Landon Donovan just did what Landon Donovan does best: say the thing nobody else on American soccer television will say out loud. Days after the US Men’s National Team was bounced from its own home World Cup in a lopsided 4-1 loss to Belgium, the former USMNT star used his podcast to deliver pointed criticism of Christian Pulisic, the player who was supposed to be the face of this tournament.
What Donovan actually said
On the July 8 episode of “Unfiltered Soccer,” the podcast Donovan co-hosts with fellow USMNT legend Tim Howard, the criticism landed in a specific and somewhat unexpected place. Donovan didn’t go after Pulisic’s talent or his effort on the pitch. Instead, he took aim at the people around him.
Donovan pointed to Pulisic’s entourage, including agents and family members, arguing they’ve mishandled relationships with sponsors, teammates, and media. He cited what he described as a pattern of unapproachable behavior and repeated refusals to engage with basic requests for interviews or interactions.
According to Donovan, multiple sponsors have grown frustrated with how Pulisic’s camp manages access and communication. Several teammates have reportedly voiced similar discontent behind closed doors.
Donovan drew from personal experience, referencing his own difficult period after the 2006 World Cup, when the USMNT also exited earlier than expected and he faced his own reckoning with public perception, media relations, and personal growth. His message to Pulisic was essentially: I’ve been in a version of this spot, and the only way out is through honest self-assessment.
The on-field context
The backdrop to all of this is a genuinely painful result. The USMNT’s 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 was the kind of scoreline that doesn’t leave much room for spin. This was a home World Cup, the tournament the US soccer federation had been building toward for years.
Pulisic, who entered the match as the team’s most high-profile attacker, was substituted early due to injury. His premature departure became a lightning rod for post-match discussion: Was he fit enough to start? Should the coaching staff have managed his minutes differently? Did the injury change the tactical shape of the game in ways that contributed to the blowout?
Those are legitimate tactical questions. But Donovan’s podcast steered the conversation somewhere more personal and arguably more uncomfortable. Off-field conduct, brand management, and the invisible infrastructure around a star player aren’t topics that typically get aired publicly in American soccer. Donovan aired them anyway.
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