Overview
- Christian Pulisic suffered a calf knock in the opener versus Paraguay on June 12 and missed the 2-0 win over Australia on June 19 while he recovered.
- Reports say Pulisic has done light pitch work, worn a protective sleeve and is expected to be available for the final Group D game against Turkiye, though selection is uncertain.
- Paraguay’s win over Turkiye locked the United States into first place in Group D, turning the U.S.-Turkey match into a dead rubber and giving Pochettino freedom to rotate players.
- Experts are split: former coach Gregg Berhalter and some pundits urge playing Pulisic to avoid a 19-day layoff and regain sharpness, while other analysts recommend resting him to reduce injury risk before the knockouts.
- The choice will affect match minutes for key players, yellow-card management ahead of the Round of 32 and the USMNT’s plan to have Pulisic fully ready for higher-stakes knockout matches.