Christian Pulisic is an undeniable icon for the USMNT. However, he was not named the United States’ captain for the 2026 World Cup, despite his extensive experience and impressive European trajectory.
Prior to the USMNT’s World Cup debut against Paraguay, manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed a strong rumor that had been surrounding the team: Christian Pulisic would not wear the captain’s armband during the tournament.
Instead, the head coach decided to name veteran defender Tim Ream as the primary captain for the World Cup. A similar situation happened to Pulisic before the Qatar 2022 World Cup, when Gregg Berhalter also passed him over for the tournament-long captaincy in favor of Tyler Adams.
Tim Ream is the most experienced player on the USMNT roster
Mauricio Pochettino has worked with elite players across the soccer world, including Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, and Kylian Mbappe, among others. He is well aware that the team’s biggest star isn’t always the best vocal leader on the field, which is why his decision to name Tim Ream as captain for the 2026 World Cup makes perfect sense.
Tim Ream has been named as the #USMNT captain by Mauricio Pochettino for the FIFA World Cup 2026. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/w6dth76pbr
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) May 30, 2026
Ream is a 38-year-old defender who stands as the oldest player on the USMNT roster for this World Cup. While he surprisingly has fewer appearances than Pulisic in the Stars and Stripes jersey, it was ultimately his extensive club background that convinced Pochettino.
Tim Ream started his professional career in MLS before moving to England to play for Bolton in 2012 and subsequently joining Fulham in 2015. It was with the latter club that he truly became a legend, spending nine successful years with the Cottagers before returning to the United States to join Charlotte FC.
It is not all lost for Christian Pulisic
Unlike in some other sports, a soccer team must always have a designated captain on the field. If Ream gets substituted or misses a match for any reason, Pulisic will likely have the opportunity to step up and wear the armband.
Christian Pulisic has proudly served as the USMNT captain 29 times across his 86 international appearances. Whether he will get the chance to wear it again at some point during the 2026 World Cup remains one of the team’s most compelling storylines.
