Pelé, the soccer legend, once said, ‘Football is not just about one or two or three players. The only way to win is as a team.’ Every great team has a great leader among their ranks, one who leads by example. Former USMNT star Stuart Holden now hopes that the national side finds such a leader in Christian Pulisic heading into the 2026 World Cup, and he’s not just referring to the captain’s armband.

Tim Ream has been the USMNT captain for some time, with defensive players often taking the armband due to their rough playing style when compared to the forwards. A strong, masculine, and vocal leader like Ream has been crucial, but with the chances of the Charlotte FC defender not making it to the upcoming World Cup squad, the USMNT will need to find a solid replacement.

Speaking of leadership, Holden wants someone who can assert dominance both on and off the field. “Being able to walk in that locker room, and know that like you just have a different confidence and also am authority to it and you’re looking around in the tough games on the field, I would look (up) to you guys?” says the ex-USMNT star on the ‘Unfiltered Soccer’ podcast. 

“This team has really lacked big individuals that are willing to take that responsibility, and I have been happy with the way Pulisic has developed,” says Holden, highlighting how ‘Captain America’ has led by example, consistently finding his name on the scoresheet.

And while not everyone gets to wear the armband, Holden calls for the other USMNT players to do their bit for the team as well. “Don’t just be okay with being a leader on the national team, go be a leader in your club, in these European locker rooms where you walk in and the guys are like, who’s this American kid?”

Ex-AC Milan player calls for Christian Pulisic to be more like ‘Captain America’

Christian Pulisic earned the nickname ‘Captain America’ not for wearing the armband for the USMNT, but for possessing similar qualities as the First Avenger. Pulisic’s displays this season have been nothing short of ‘marvelous’ and while the skipper doesn’t like the title, Zlatan Ibrahimović encourages him to embrace it.

In the ‘Pulisic’ documentary, Ibrahimović explains that he deserves the nickname for the quality he possesses as a football player. The Swedish soccer icon believes it’s only fair to have high expectations of the American, given his potential. 

Being one of Mauricio Pochettino’s key men, there has been talk of Pulisic losing the armband, once Tyler Adams, who captained USMNT during the 2022 World Cup returns from injury. While the Bournemouth midfielder is yet to make an appearance under Pochettino, Adams possesses all the qualities that Holden looks for in a leader. Will he be the one wearing the armband leading into the 2024? We’ll see in due course.