Sports
Why Christian Pulisic’s USMNT Story Isn’t Over Despite World Cup Criticism
Ten years ago, Argentina’s Lionel Messi was so wounded by his penalty misfire in the Copa America final that he briefly retired from international football.
Back then, Messi was two years older than United States attacker Christian Pulisic right now.
And today, he’s a universally beloved national hero, a 2022 World Cup winner and, at age 39, still the most important player for a 2026 semifinalist.
No one is confusing Pulisic with the greatest footballer who ever roamed the Earth.
But when you zoom out, the unprecedented criticism the 27-year-old AC Milan star is receiving after the USMNT’s embarrassing 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 resembles the turbulence Messi faced with his national team in his late 20s. And it suggests there is more time for the Hershey, Pa., native to rescue his image than the moment suggests.
Like Messi, Pulisic came of age during a time when his country’s fans were looking for someone to pick up the mantle carried by previous legends.
For Messi, it was Diego Maradona, the man who led Argentina to their second World Cup crown in 1986 and remained relevant through the 1994 cycle. For Pulisic, it’s Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, whose attacking partnership elevated the United States to a consistent knockout stage participant in the early part of this century. Donovan was even a breakout star on the 2002 team that reached the quarterfinals.
And like Messi, Pulisic’s introverted personality has been an awkward fit with the team leadership hoisted upon him, complete with the corporate visibility he has willingly accepted
When you listen to Donovan’s criticism of Pulisic’s camp, claiming they keep him at an unnecessary distance from the rest of the group, there are obvious echoes of the grievances against mid-2010s Messi, who by then had already achieved nearly everything possible in an FC Barcelona jersey, but hadn’t won a single major title for Argentina.
So we’d be foolish to discount a Pulisic second act, though he may face some obstacles that Messi hasn’t.
There’s his durability. Pulisic has now left three of his seven career World Cup starts before 90 minutes due to injury. In his club career, he is typically removed before full-time while Milan try to manage what has been described as a chronic hip issue.
It may also be difficult to find a coach as amenable to building a system around Pulisic’s strengths as Lionel Scaloni has catered to Messi since he took the job in 2018. It’s one thing to build an entire team around one of the world’s all-time greats. It would be something different to do so for someone who might not be his country’s most talented footballer by the time the 2030 World Cup rolls around.
But Pulisic also has advantages, mainly lower public standards. A return to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 would be rightly hailed as a success. Even similar competitive results could be laudable if the final defeats came against better sides than a Belgium squad in decline.
Messi is not only uniquely great, but also uniquely effective in the latest years of a great career. Pulisic’s career resurrection will have to come sooner than at age 34, when Messi first won Copa America.
But there will be chances before then, potentially at the 2028 Copa America and definitely at the 2030 World Cup. And the burden of expectation will almost certainly be lighter than this summer at a home World Cup.
Sports
Bryson DeChambeau to debut set of 3D-printed irons at The Open
Jul 13, 2026; Southport, England; Bryson DeChambeau on the practice range during a practice round for The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bryson DeChambeau will bring the latest in technology to a 137-year-old golf course this week, and into a major tournament that is even older.
DeChambeau is set to debut a full set of 3D-printed irons for 154th Open Championship, which starts Thursday at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, Front Office Sports reported Tuesday.
DeChambeau has used single 3D-printed clubs in the past, playing in this year’s Masters with a 5-iron built under computer control. According to the report, DeChambeau said the full set of irons was recently approved by the United States Golf Association.
A two-time U.S. Open winner (2020, 2024), DeChambeau did not make the cut in any of the three major tournaments already played this year. That comes after he had top-10 finishes at last year’s Masters, PGA Championship and Open Championship.
Currently a member of LIV Golf, DeChambeau won tournaments in Singapore and South Africa in back-to-back weeks in March.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wizards shut down No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa for rest of Summer League
Jun 25, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards first round draft pick and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa poses for a photo with his jersey during a press conference at InterContinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images The Washington Wizards decided they had seen enough from the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and shut down forward AJ Dybantsa for the rest of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
Dybantsa played two games in a Wizards uniform, averaging 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. The 19-year-old was the top pick out of BYU.
The Wizards also shut down second-year players Will Riley and Tre Johnson, who have also been productive. Riley averaged 25.0 points in two games and Johnson scored 26 points in the one he played.
The Wizards’ summer league players had five days of camp in Washington, D.C. before departing for Las Vegas.
The Wizards have not won more than 18 games in any of the past three seasons. Washington last made the playoffs in 2020-21 and last won a playoff series in 2016-17 when they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spain blank favored France to advance to World Cup final
July 14, 2026; Arlington, Texas, U.S.; Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal and Unai Simon in action. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Spain are headed back to the World Cup final for the second time after denying France a third straight appearance with a 2-0 victory in a semifinal on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
Pedro Porro followed Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 22nd minute by doubling the count in the 58th.
Spain, the 2010 champion, will play in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday against the winner of the reigning champion Argentina-England match in Atlanta on Wednesday.
France will play in the third-place match in Miami on Saturday.
Spain have a 37-match unbeaten streak (30 wins, seven draws), tying Italy’s European record.
The best chance for France came in the 82nd minute when Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon raced midway between the penalty area and the center circle to challenge Desire Doue for the ball.
Doue got to it but Simon ran back and cut the angle to make a save inside the box as two Spain defenders guarded the goal line. Simon (three saves) is the first men’s keeper to have six shutouts in a single World Cup.
Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 22nd minute put Spain ahead.
France trailed for the first time in the tournament when Oyarzabal scored his fifth goal of the World Cup with a shot to the upper right corner.
Lamine Yamal, a day after his 19th birthday, drew a foul by Lucas Digne on the right side of the box.
A long cross by Marc Cucurella was popped in the air by Digne. As he attempted a volley, Yamal snuck in behind him and as the ball hit his left shoulder, Digne kicked him in the left thigh, prompting Yamal to fall.
More misfortune befell France at the half-hour mark when veteran defender William Saliba left with an injury and was replaced by Max Lacroix, whose only action in the tournament was 90 minutes in the group finale vs. Norway.
Nearing 40 minutes in, Yamal set up an onrushing Fabian Ruiz but defender Dayot Upamecano was able to get a foot on the attempt to deflect the ball for a corner kick.
France were seeking to become the third nation to qualify for three straight finals, joining West Germany (1982, 1986 and 1990) and Brazil (1994, 1998 and 2002).
The French won the World Cup in 2018 and were runners-up to Argentina in 2022.
–Field Level Media
Send the Ecovacs Goat A2000 Robotic Lawn Mower out to handle all your grass-cutting needs, now for 25% off
Meet the 9 new emoji to help sum up 2026
