The U.S. national team could face one of its most important matches of the 2026 World Cup group stage without its star player. Christian Pulisic is still recovering from a left calf injury, and his availability for Friday’s match against Australia in Seattle remains in doubt.
The U.S. captain trained separately from his teammates for the fourth consecutive day, although head coach Mauricio Pochettino remained optimistic and said the situation is much better than it was during the team’s debut against Paraguay.
“We’ll see,” said the Argentine coach. “If he’s not available for tomorrow, he’ll be available for the next match.”
Pulisic continues to train separately
The injury occurred days before the World Cup opener and forced Pulisic to leave the match against Paraguay at the end of the first half.
Since then, the Milan winger has been following an individual recovery plan. On Thursday, he participated only in the warm-up with the rest of the group and then headed to the gym to continue with specific exercises, wearing a compression sleeve on his injured leg.
The coaching staff will make the final decision after a meeting with the medical staff and assistant coaches.
Meanwhile, his teammates are hoping he’ll be available.
“I know he really wants to be here and is doing everything he can to play,” said Weston McKennie. “But that’s a question best asked of him, not me.”
A Blow for the United States
Pulisic’s possible absence would be a significant loss for a team that is coming off one of the best performances in its World Cup history.
The United States routed Paraguay 4-1, and the 27-year-old player was instrumental. He was involved in the Paraguayan own goal that opened the scoring and assisted Folarin Balogun on one of his two goals. Now, the team is looking to maintain that momentum against an Australian side that is also coming off a win over Turkey.
Cristian Roldán said the team feels the fans’ support and wants to capitalize on the enthusiasm generated after their debut.
“What excites me is that the whole country is supporting us,” said the midfielder. “People enjoyed watching us play, and we want to continue inspiring the next generation. It’s not enough to just talk—we have to prove it against Australia.”
Pochettino’s Options
Should Pulisic be unable to play, Mauricio Pochettino has several offensive options at his disposal.
Brenden Aaronson stands out as one of the top options after an outstanding season with Leeds United, while Tim Weah can bring speed and dynamism down either wing. Another possibility is Gio Reyna, who scored one of the goals against Paraguay and made a positive impression every time he was involved in the attack.
Sebastián Berhalter and Malik Tillman are also available, with the latter being one of the team’s standout players during the second half of the opening match.
“We’re evaluating all possibilities just in case,” Pochettino explained. “Then we’ll decide whether we need to go in one direction or another.”
McKennie Highlights the U.S. Star’s Spirit
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his physical condition, Weston McKennie assured that Pulisic is mentally strong and has the support of the entire team.
“I think he’s doing really well,” said the Juventus midfielder. “We’re like one big family. We’re always there to cheer on anyone who needs it and help them get through it.”
The United States will face Australia today with the opportunity to take a huge step toward the Round of 32. The big question is whether they’ll be able to do so with Christian Pulisic leading the team on the field or if they’ll have to find new solutions to keep their World Cup dream alive.
