Christian Pulisic Injury Update: Will He Play Against Australia?
The U.S. men's national team trained in Irvine, California, preparing for their upcoming World Cup match against Australia in Seattle on Friday afternoon. Christian Pulisic has been noticeably absent from full training sessions this week, with his availability described as “day to day.”
Before practice, a U.S. Soccer representative explained that Pulisic was undergoing a "modified training session" as he continues recovery, while the rest of the squad focused on preparations for the next game.
Pulisic sustained an injury during the first match against Paraguay when a kick aggravated a pre-existing left calf issue. Coach Mauricio Pochettino took him off at halftime, substituting Sebastian Berhalter.
His absence from group training less than three days before the match caused some worry, even though teammates like Tyler Adams downplayed concerns earlier in the week.
“Christian will be ready, everyone. Let’s relax,” said Adams. “I think he picked up a knock a few days before the match and got kicked in the same spot again during the match.”
After the 4–1 win over Paraguay, Pulisic told FOX Sports, “I just got a bit of a kick in the first half. I’m really hoping that it’s nothing. Taking a little bit of precaution today, but I’m hoping I’ll be fine in the next few days.”
The Nature of Pulisic’s Injury
The current problem centers on his left calf. U.S. Soccer has not detailed the injury's severity beyond confirming it was an existing condition before the Paraguay game.
Pulisic has dealt with various injuries over the years, including spending 56 days sidelined last season with AC Milan due to multiple issues. This season, he missed time because of thigh and gluteal muscle strains as well as bursitis in his hip. Soft-tissue problems have frequently interrupted his career.
On Monday, Pochettino mentioned Pulisic was "good" briefly during training before having to step out. On Tuesday, teammate Tim Weah expressed optimism: “I think he’ll be ready for the game and ready to be with the team, so just praying to God he feels 100% fit. He’ll be needed.”
When Could Pulisic Return?
Pulisic only played 45 minutes in the opening match. There is no official timeline for his return. The chance remains that he will play or even start against Australia, but confirmation will likely come after Pochettino’s media session on Thursday.
Reports from The Athletic say Pulisic trained alone on Wednesday with two trainers, performing single-leg jumps before returning to the gym after the media viewing period ended. Meanwhile, the rest of the squad engaged in full training.
If he cannot participate against Australia, the earliest opportunity for Pulisic to return might be the final Group D match against Türkiye on June 28 at SoFi Stadium, where the USMNT began their tournament journey.
