The good news arrived just in time. Christian Pulisic, the closest thing American soccer has to a household name, is trending toward a return for the US Men’s National Team after missing the group stage match against Australia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What happened and where things stand
Pulisic picked up a left calf injury during training ahead of the USMNT’s opening group match against Paraguay on June 18. He played in that game, but the calf was aggravated at halftime, which ruled him out of the Australia fixture entirely.
Ricardo Pepi stepped into the starting lineup in his absence. The USMNT still secured advancement from the group stage.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino offered a cautiously upbeat update in the days following the Paraguay match. “He’s evolving and much better from Friday,” Pochettino said, pointing toward a potential return for the group finale against Türkiye.
