Landon Donovan said something that ruffled a few feathers within the U.S. Men’s National Team.
Who had that on their bingo card?
During FOX Sports’ UEFA Nations League Final coverage — Portugal beat Spain on penalties — Donovan made it clear he isn’t thrilled about Christian Pulisic skipping the upcoming Gold Cup. Pulisic, after logging over 3,500 minutes with AC Milan this season, requested to sit out the tournament for rest and recovery.
Donovan didn’t mention Pulisic by name, something he’d later get called out for, but it wasn’t hard to figure out who he meant.
“This is what it means to represent your country,” Donovan said Sunday. “This is what it means. And if you don’t want to take this as a professional soccer player, as someone who gets the opportunity to wear that jersey and take it seriously and responsibly, then don’t come in. This is what it means. (Cristiano Ronaldo)’s 40 years old. He’s played a long ass season. He’s tired. He’s out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can’t help but think about our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It’s pissing me off.”
“This is what it means to represent your country.”
Landon Donovan goes OFF on USMNT players sitting out from international duty.
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) June 9, 2025
He wasn’t alone. Clint Dempsey also questioned the USMNT captain’s decision to take a pass. But it was Donovan’s comments that reignited an old conversation.
It’s not that Donovan’s wrong to want more commitment. But context matters. Pulisic just finished a grueling club season in Europe, carrying a heavy workload for Milan. Perhaps prioritizing long-term health over a tournament the U.S. has historically treated as a B-squad proving ground isn’t worth national outrage.
Someone who didn’t appreciate Donovan’s take? Pulisic’s father, Mark, who decided to let an AI handle the rebuttal.
Seriously.
Mark Pulisic asked ChatGPT to explain why Donovan took a sabbatical from the sport in 2012-13. The bot correctly pointed out that Donovan, citing mental and physical burnout, temporarily walked away from the national team and skipped World Cup qualifiers. He was later left off the 2014 World Cup roster.
“Landon Donovan took his sabbatical because he was feeling both physically and mentally exhausted after years of intense competition and the pressure that comes with being a top athlete. He’d ben playing professionally from a young age and had participated in multiple World Cups, so he felt the need to step back and take some time for himself. This break allowed him to rest, travel, and ultimately return to the game with a refreshed mindset.”
“This guy is talking about commitment,” Pulisic’s father’s Instagram caption read. “Look in the mirror + grow a pair and call names out, or are you afraid? Next time you want an interview, you will get rejected again.”
Christian Pulisic’s dad Mark claps back at Landon Donovan for criticizing USMNT players for sitting out of the Gold Cup, referencing the sabbatical he took in his career.
Christian Pulisic also liked the post. pic.twitter.com/DfRF3ixsvl
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) June 9, 2025
Christian Pulisic liked the post.
There’s clearly no love lost there. And it’s a sign that the tension between the old guard and the current USMNT generation hasn’t gone away, and won’t anytime soon.
Still, both sides may have a point. Donovan’s old-school intensity helped raise the bar for U.S. Soccer. But in 2025, player health is a real factor, and demanding World Cup-level urgency for a midsummer B-team tournament doesn’t always make sense.
Pulisic needed a break. Donovan needed to vent.
And, apparently, Mark Pulisic needed ChatGPT.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.