Christian Pulisic Poised for Return in U.S. vs Turkey Group-Stage Finale

U.S. forward Christian Pulisic sustained a left-calf injury after a training kick a few days before the opening match against Paraguay on June 12. The injury worsened during the first half of the 4-1 win, leading to his substitution at halftime after 45 minutes. He called it a contusion or strain. Pulisic missed the 2-0 win over Australia, resumed full-team training on June 22, and said he feels “good,” has been training daily, and believes his sharpness has not diminished.

CNN

The United States entered Thursday’s match at SoFi Stadium having secured first place in Group D with wins over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0). Turkey, already eliminated, makes the fixture a dead-rubber. Several regular starters—Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson—each carry a yellow card, risking suspension if they receive a second caution. Midfielder Cristian Roldan is a day-to-day concern with a muscle strain.

ESPN

Pulisic emphasized his desire to contribute, acknowledging that a full 90-minute effort is unlikely and that he will discuss any minutes restriction with the coaching and medical staff. He expressed confidence in the squad’s depth, noting the team can perform strongly without him. Coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Pulisic remains under consideration and that the staff must decide whether to start him or use him as a substitute, while planning rotation to protect yellow-carded players. Defender Chris Richards added that the intensity of training should mitigate fitness concerns.

USA Today

• “I’m feeling good, yeah,” — Christian Pulisic, USMNT forward

CNN

• “I want to be a part of the group, I want to get on the field and try to help the team in whatever way I can,” — Christian Pulisic

CNN

• “I've been working every single day, a lot. I don't think that's enough time to lose sharpness. I've been touching the ball every day and whatnot. I'm working a lot, so get a couple training sessions in, I'll feel ready.” — Christian Pulisic

CBS Sports

• “We need to decide if it’s possible to play from the beginning or be on the bench and have the possibility maybe to play in the second half,” — Mauricio Pochettino, U.S. head coach

USA Today

Sources differ on the exact medical classification of Pulisic’s injury, referring to it as a contusion, a strain, or simply a calf injury. No definitive diagnosis or precise timeline for a full-match return has been disclosed.

CNN

The United States will announce its lineup shortly before kickoff at SoFi Stadium. Depending on Pulisic’s minutes, the staff may rotate yellow-carded players to avoid suspensions. The team will then prepare for a round-of-32 match with the third-place finisher of Group C on July 1 in Santa Clara.

Christian Pulisic feels ‘great,’ hopes to play for US in final World Cup group game vs Turkey