Christian Pulisic has enjoyed the nickname “Captain America,” among many other monikers in his career as one of the greatest U.S.-born soccer players. Yet, he won’t captain the U.S. men’s national team on home soil this summer.
After wearing the captain’s armband—the signature piece of captaincy in soccer—29 times across his 84 USMNT appearances, he was stripped of the opportunity before the 2026 World Cup in favor of veteran center back Tim Ream.