The USA face Ecuador in a 2025 international friendly that promises to be an intriguing match to watch. While it may only be an exhibition, it carries significant importance—especially for the Ecuadorians. Still, there are notable storylines on the American side, including the key question: why is Christian Pulisic not starting today?
One of the biggest challenges for the U.S. men’s national team as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup comes in the form of Ecuador, one of the most consistent and competitive CONMEBOL teams in recent years. They have just completed one of their strongest World Cup qualifying campaigns, making this test particularly valuable for the Americans.
Pulisic’s absence from the starting lineup was somewhat expected. Just a day before the match, head coach Mauricio Pochettino surprised many by revealing that Pulisic and a few others had not trained. Pochettino completely ruled out Alex Zendejas for the game against Ecuador.
Pochettino explained that Pulisic and Antonee Robinson were both held out of training as a precaution to prevent potential injuries. “I need to communicate that we have some issues with players like Christian [Pulisic], who didn’t train today, and Antonee Robinson,” Pochettino said. “We need to assess tomorrow if they will be available or not.”
Why is Christian Pulisic not starting vs Ecuador?
Christian Pulisic enters the U.S. men’s national team’s friendly against Ecuador as the reigning Serie A Player of the Month, but the team’s attacking centerpiece won’t be able to showcase that form from the opening whistle.
The American captain starts the game on the bench against the World Cup-bound South American side. As mentioned earlier, Pochettino had hinted at possible fitness concerns for Pulisic and other key players in his pre-match press conference. That makes his omission from the starting XI less of a surprise—though still disappointing for fans.
Pulisic remains available on the bench, but it’s unclear whether Pochettino will risk him later in the match. The star winger could still make an appearance in the second half, depending on how the game unfolds and the team’s needs.