Is there any way back for Salah in the Ballon d'Or race?

Treble-chasers to also-rans? How Atleti's season unravelled

Understanding Mohamed Salah 

Man Utd can't let Garnacho be the next Elanga or Rashford

Hugo Ekitike: The answer to Man Utd's striking problem?

Editors' Picks

Messi's bodyguard banned by MLS! Why Cheuko can’t help

Donovan expresses concern for Rodman's ongoing back issues

Mbappe comparison with ‘unique’ Messi rubbished by Lloris

 Garnacho has a stinker as excellent Elanga haunts Man Utd

Rudiger the hero! Madrid into Copa final after Sociedad epic

Howard, Donovan question Robinson's USMNT priorities

Man Utd set Antony price tag & plan to offload 10-players

Ex-Chelsea star claims cocaine stopped him winning Ballon d'Or

<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>USMNT lost to both Panama and Canada</li><li>Christian Pulisic says "aggression" narrative is "easy"</li><li>ESPN's Ale Moreno goes in on AC Milan star</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

'Obvious that this team lacks aggression' - ESPN FC analyst Alejandro Moreno slams Christian Pulisic, USMNT over Nations League results

<p>Following the USMNT's disappointing 2025 Nations League showing, a semifinal defeat to Panama and a third-place match loss to Canada, critics have come in fast and come in harsh on their performances.</p><p>Ex-players such as <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/usmnt-legend-landon-donovan-questions-americans-pride-after-falling-to-canada-in-third-place-match-nations-league-concacaf-jozy-altidore/blt49994a3ea3fa21b9" target="_self">Landon Donovan</a> and <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us" target="_self">Kasey Keller</a> and <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/to-finish-fourth-is-a-crime-tim-howard-calls-for-usmnt-to-redemption-at-the-2025-gold-cup-after-abysmal-showing-in-the-nations-league/blt9ef47042f7251627" target="_self">Tim Howard</a> have asked for more from the players and staff. ESPN analyst and former Venezuela international Alejandro Moreno joined the chorus.</p><p>"I need to see an improvement - that is obvious to see,"  Moreno said on <a href="https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/44397686" target="_self">ESPN FC.</a> "And while Christian Pulisic said, 'Well, you know, the easiest thing to point out is the aggression' ... Yes! Because it's obvious! It's obvious that this team lacks aggression. And so if he wants me to spell it out for him, I will: Christian, I'll spell it out for you, I'll define it for you:  92nd minute, your team is losing 2-1, and you guys are keeping possession in the back line and in the midfield.</p><p>"Again, let me repeat that you're losing 2-1 in a game in which you were supposed to show a response. And you're keeping possession of the ball in the midfield and the back line without actually showing aggression to get the ball forward, to manufacture chaos, to push for a goal your team. The United States never looked likely to score a game-tying goal. In fact, I would argue that Canada looked more likely to score at their own goal themselves."</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Moreno's comments were in response to Pulisic, who said after the Canada match that  critics asking for the USMNT to be aggressive were giving an "easy" analysis of their performances.</p><p>"It's an easy thing to say we lacked aggression, there's a lot of things that go with that - it's not just fighting and kicking," Pulisic said after the match. "You know the other team, you've got to play better football, you've got to have better ideas, you've got to be more aggressive in the way we attack... just creating more, getting more opportunities and just being more of a threat to the other team."</p><p>The AC Milan star was substituted 69 minutes into their loss against Canada, and played 90 minutes against Panama.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>The U.S. failed to win the Nations League for the first time in the competition's history in 2025. They had won all three previous editions.</p>

DID YOU KNOW?

<p>The U.S. return to the pitch in June for the FIFA international break, where they will play both Switzerland and Turkey in a pair of friendlies leading up to the CONCACAF Gold Cup.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

'Obvious that this team lacks aggression' - ESPN FC analyst Alejandro Moreno slams Christian Pulisic, USMNT over Nations League results | Goal.com

Moreno reacted to Pulisic&apos;s comments about the &quot;aggression&quot; narrative, tells U.S. star &quot;I&apos;ll spell it out for you&quot;