World Cup: Inside "Captain America" Christian Pulisic's Private Life

How Much Do World Cup Players Get Paid? Breaking it Down

While this marks Pulisic's second World Cup, soccer isn’t his entire world (albeit a huge part of it).

"Once I step away from the field and from training every day, my life’s not all soccer," he recently told People. "That’s kind of how I want it to be. Then once it’s time to train and play games, that’s when I lock in."

When Pulisic isn’t on the field, he’s likely on the golf course.

"My dad kind of introduced me to the sport when I was really young," the 27-year-old said in U.S. Soccer’s 26 Stories to ’26 series, "and, yeah, I just always kind of liked it."

Pulisic also admitted he’s "addicted" to chess. And while fans can often find him on the pitch, he’s learned a thing or two about pitch from teaching himself guitar too.

"I picked up the guitar probably my second or third year in Germany," the Borussia Dortmund alum said in a 2022 Bose campaign. "I’ve never had a lesson. It’s mainly just me learning on YouTube and different apps."

Other ways to score some points with Pulisic? Put on the movie The Big Green—which he told U.S. Soccer is his favorite film—or give him some Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

"These are just my favorite chocolate candy, my go-to snack," the AC Milan star told GQ in 2021. "Growing up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, you know I gotta represent the Reese’s Cups."

And while Pulisic wears a jersey on the pitch—no. 10 for Team USA—he has his own uniform for when he’s off the field, which includes a white T-shirt, sneakers (he has a deal with PUMA) and his cross chain.

“This is the most special one to me because my mom gave me this,” the former Chelsea player added, “and I pretty much have it on all the time.”

In addition to his mom Kelley Pulisic and dad Mark Pulisic—who both played soccer in college—Pulisic’s family roster includes his sister Devyn Pulisic and brother Chase Gallant. And up until recently, his inner squad also included Alexa Melton, who he started dating after he slid into her DMs.

"I got the DM, and I was like, 'Who is this dude with 8 million followers, and why is he DM’ing me?'" the pro golfer shared in the 2024 Paramount+ docuseries Pulisic. "I scrolled through his old Instagram. I was like, 'Oh, he’s a big-time soccer player.'"

But earlier this year, news broke that Melton and Pulisic had split and her cryptic Instagram message sparked rumors that he had been unfaithful. After a commenter, per USA Today, wrote, "This generational fumble will be studied for years to come," the 25-year-old replied, "Mans was on raya before it even ended." However, Melton later shut down the cheating speculation. 

"I’ve made some comments on a private matter and it’s been taken out of context," she wrote on her Instagram Stories in April. "I received false info. He is not a cheater. Any narrative beyond that is not mine. Out of respect for Christian’s and my privacy, I will not speak further regarding this matter."

And while Pulisic has also stayed tight-lipped on the breakup, he’s expressed how he has nothing but respect for Melton.

"I only look at her in the most positive way," he told TIME in a piece published in May. "She was a lot of fun, and she supported me in every way. She wanted to push me to enjoy my life a little bit more and do things with her and do things just in general. And I was grateful for that."