USMNT's Tim Weah slams 'really evil' Christian Pulisic critics: 'Those guys are chasing checks'

The summer was a tumultuous one for the United States men's national team. They fell in the Gold Cup final to Mexico, but the biggest story to emerge was around who wasn't in Mauricio Pochettino's squad for the tournament. Some players missed out due to injuries and Club World Cup commitments, but Christian Pulisic's opting to stay home is what was the lasting impression from the tournament.

After a grueling season at Milan that saw him feature in 50 matches in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and assisting 12 more Pulisic wanted to take some time off to protect his body. That match-load is similar to his inaugural season at Milan in 2023-24, but a massive jump from Pulisic's final Chelsea season in 2022-23 that saw him barely crack 1,013 minutes in all competitions.

"I had to make the best decision for myself and look out for myself," Pulisic said about that decision to miss out on the Gold Cup in the PULISIC documentary, which is currently streaming on Paramount+.

After missing the Gold Cup, the final competitive international competition before next summer's World Cup, Landon Donovan and other former members of the USMNT criticized Pulisic for his decision, calling him entitled and questioning his care for the badge. This has created a rift between current and former players with less than a year to go until the World Cup on United States soil.

Tim Weah spoke about the criticism that his teammate is facing.

"I think those guys are chasing checks, and to me, I feel like they're really evil, because they've been players, and they know how it feels when you're getting bashed, and those are the same guys who will turn around and shake your hand and try to be friendly with you at the end of the day," Weah said. "Don't get me wrong, I respect all of them and they were players that I looked up to but quite frankly, they didn't win anything either. Christian himself has had a better career than a lot of the guys who want to speak negatively on us."

It can be tough to deal with hearing players who have worn the USMNT shirt bringing criticism against the current squad, but there's also the fact that performances haven't been good enough in the past year. After failing to get out of the group stage during Copa America, falling in the third-place game of the Concacaf Nations League, and losing the Concacaf Gold Cup final to Mexico, something needs to be done to lift spirits.

With the days counting down, people are looking for positions around the USMNT ahead of the World Cup but performances aren't bringing those. There will be a chance to put this behind them during the September international break, which will see the USMNT face South Korea and Japan in friendlies.