Tyler Adams interview: Pulisic criticism, rift with USMNT greats, World Cup prep

U.S. men’s national team midfielder Tyler Adams was back in Chicago for a second time this summer.

He had been in the Windy City with the U.S. team in the first days of June for its pre-Concacaf Gold Cup camp, where the United States’ 2022 World Cup captain was intent on making a statement to head coach Mauricio Pochettino ahead of the 2026 edition.

Now, in the first days of August, he was back, with AFC Bournemouth this time, on tour in the United States and preparing for the new Premier League season — a campaign he believes can be an important chance to level up at a vital time. (And with his club facing reigning champion Liverpool at Anfield in Friday’s curtain-raiser, it won’t be long before he’s facing a first significant challenge.)

That he was not only in the same city but the very same hotel felt symbolic. It was a reminder of the 26-year-old’s approach to the year leading into that largely home World Cup next summer. Adams says he feels motivated and all-in.

Adams’ presence with the U.S. this summer shouldn’t have been newsworthy. But for a Gold Cup that became as much about who wasn’t in camp as who was, it was notable that the defensive midfielder was there despite a foot injury that kept him from fully training or playing in the first weeks of camp.

Adams had gotten just one camp with Pochettino to that point since the Argentine’s appointment in September last year, and he felt it was important to begin to prove himself and understand his new national-team manager better.

“It was a great learning experience,” Adams tells The Athletic. “Just because I hadn’t been in his initial camps to begin with. So I think a lot of guys had a lot more time with him than I’ve had. Just ironing out that relationship, what he wants from the players, how the players can get the best out of the coaching staff, just balancing that relationship.

“You hear about him in the way that he works, but until you spend a month with him, you don’t really know. I’ve had the opportunity to do that now, so I feel like that will be really helpful in the long run, for not just myself, but a lot of the young guys that had the first opportunity as well.”

While the U.S. was missing several regulars due to injury and Club World Cup duties, the controversy of the summer revolved around Christian Pulisic’s decision to opt out of the Gold Cup. The Milan forward and sometimes USMNT captain felt he needed rest if he was going to be ready for the 2025-26 season — and, as an extension, primed for the World Cup.

Pochettino and his staff agreed to let him skip the tournament. But the coach, responding to Pulisic’s comments to CBS that he wanted to take part in the two warm-up friendlies in June before missing the Gold Cup itself, was clearly bothered by the idea that those types of decisions would be left to the players.

“I am the head coach,” Pochettino said. “I am not a mannequin.”

It raised the question as to whether Pulisic will have to earn back the trust of the coaches — and maybe even his teammates, too. Adams pushes back hard on the idea that he had anything to prove.

“It’s a topic that everyone wants to have an opinion on, of course, but what Christian did is what he had to do for himself,” Adams says. “He doesn’t have to earn the respect of anyone in the group. Everyone knows who Christian is as a person, and how good of a player he is as well. But everyone needs time in certain moments of their career or life to just say: ‘Let me take a step back, focus on myself for a second and then move forward’.

“I speak to Christian all the time. We’re obviously super close. And I just know that this summer, while he took a step away, he didn’t anticipate that there was going to be that much noise and heat around it. But again, everyone wants to throw his name in the gutter because it creates a big story, or it creates noise around (the team). And that’s how big of a player he is and how important of a player he is. But everyone in the team knows how important he is, what an amazing person he is.

“I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s one of the leaders of our team. The decision that he made was best for him, and it’s going to help him in the long run.”

Pulisic’s absence didn’t just spark criticism. It also turned a spotlight on what feels like a growing divide between the program’s current players and its alumni, many of whom have taken on roles in the media.

Several former USMNT players harshly criticized the team for its disappointing performances in the Concacaf Nations League finals in March, pointing to a perceived lack of heart or passion in losses to Panama and Canada. Multiple high-profile predecessors then offered thoughts on Pulisic’s Gold Cup absence, including Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard.

The comments from Donovan and Howard eventually led to Pulisic’s CBS interview.

“You can talk about my performances, whatever you want, but to question my commitment, especially towards the national team, in my opinion, that’s way out of line, but that’s how it is,” Pulisic told the Call It What You Want podcast.

Asked about what feels like a disconnect between players past and present in the program, Adams calls it “the strangest thing.”

“I can’t even explain it,” he says. “I’m not a social-media guy, so I don’t follow anything, but when people bring up some of the things that are being said and some of the stories that are being created, it feels weird, because it feels like not long ago that every single one of those people were on board with, like, the direction that the federation was going and how well the players were doing. And it feels like any setback, is (treated) like a disaster is happening. Do you know what I mean?

“And that happens in football. I get it. Some people have jobs where their job is to speak about the sport, and if that’s their opinion, that’s their opinion. My goal is to try to create an environment, especially within our team, where guys feel like they can go out, be themselves, be comfortable. We’re all on the same page and want to grow the sport in America. People’s opinions are people’s opinions at the end of the day.”

Adams says he’s “always a truthful guy” and that “the truth can hurt sometimes,” so he doesn’t shy away from tougher conversations. That would include talks with former players who have criticisms, or with coaches who might want more from him, or initiating difficult conversations with teammates when the time calls for it.

It’s part of what has made Adams one of the leaders of this team. He called being the U.S. captain in the 2022 World Cup “one of the most special moments of my career,” and though center-back Tim Ream has been wearing the armband most regularly under Pochettino – no official captain has been designated yet by the new manager – Adams says he will continue to be himself and help to the lead the group.

His goal for now, though, is to progress at the club level this season. He noted that this is his first chance to go through a full preseason in three years, and after having a full campaign last year without an injury, 2025-26 with Bournemouth is about reaching his peak form going into next summer.

“This past season gave me the confidence that I needed to now say: ‘You could take the next step. Let’s take another step in development. Take a step in pushing yourself’,” Adams says.

There is no doubt that as the USMNT continues to push through what has been a tumultuous two years, it would benefit significantly from having Adams consistently available and in the lineup, much as he was throughout the previous World Cup cycle ending wth the tournament itself in Qatar. The Gold Cup was a huge step forward in that regard. Adams feels confident he’s rounding into form at just the right moment.

“Now it’s like: ‘OK, I’m back to myself, I feel like myself’,” he says. “I’ve had a nice break. I’m going to be able to get a nice preseason. And (then) it’s go time.”

(Top photo: Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)