Tim Howard and Landon Donovan said AC Milan has no right to be upset with the U.S. men’s national team for Christian Pulisic’s participation in the recent October window.
Reports out of Italy suggested that Milan is not happy with USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino after Pulisic returned from international duty with a hamstring injury.
Pulisic suffered the injury last Tuesday as the USMNT defeated Australia 2-1 in a friendly outside Denver. The 27-year-old started the match despite Pochettino saying beforehand that he was still battling an ankle issue.
The forward came off the bench for the final 20 minutes of the first game of the window, a 1-1 draw against Ecuador.
Though the hamstring issue didn’t appear to be related to the ankle problem, Milan was nevertheless reported to be fuming about Pochettino’s handling of one of its most vital players.
Pulisic is now set to be sidelined until the November international break, per Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri.
Longtime USMNT goalkeeper Howard said that Allegri and Milan had no right to be upset about the injury, given the importance of every match for the USMNT with a home World Cup on the horizon.
“Every game for the U.S. matters. They don’t have World Cup qualifying. So actually this was essentially a World Cup qualifier for us. It was an opportunity to get our team together and to fight for points,” Howard said on the “Unfiltered Soccer” show.
“Muscle injuries happen,” Howard added. “I think it’s crazy for Milan to suggest that he shouldn’t have played.”
Howard also suggested that a clash between Milan and the USMNT could be on the horizon next month.
“This can’t happen to the U.S. where [Pulisic] gets himself fit a week and a half or two weeks before the next international break, he plays for Milan, and he’s fit. And then [Milan] will say, ‘Yeah well he can’t go to the November internationals.’ That’s crazy talk.”
Donovan said that Milan’s complaints were “ridiculous” and added that he was hopeful Pulisic didn’t have any regrets about playing for the USMNT in the October window.
“I do hope for Christian’s sake that he’s back quickly,” Donovan said. “I wonder too, in his brain if he’s like, ‘I knew I shouldn’t have come in, I shouldn’t have played.’
“I hope that’s not the case. There was so much value in these two games for the team as a whole, and I hope he’s able to see that.”
The USMNT’s last two matches of 2025 will come next month against Paraguay (Nov. 15) and Uruguay (Nov. 18).
