Pulisic 'feeling good' and targeting return for USA's Group D finale against Türkiye

Christian Pulisic is pushing to return for the United States’ World Cup Group D finale against Türkiye at Los Angeles Stadium on Thursday, having missed the Americans’ last match with a left calf injury that has kept him sidelined for nearly two weeks.

The AC Milan forward has played just 45 minutes of this World Cup — the first half of the USA’s opening 4-1 win over Paraguay — after taking what he described as “a big kick to the calf” in the days before that match. Adrenaline helped mask the severity of the blow at the time, Pulisic said, which is why he initially downplayed the issue after the Paraguay game. He subsequently sat on the bench for the 2-0 victory over Australia and has been working his way back to full fitness in training at the team’s base in Irvine, California.

“I’m feeling good, positive going into it, and hopefully I’ll be able to play a part tomorrow,” Pulisic told reporters on Wednesday, grinning as he anticipated the inevitable first question about his fitness.

Pulisic was candid about the difficulty of the past 12 days. “It was tough after the first game for sure, just knowing that I felt a little something,” he said. “I never really feared the worst, but I obviously didn’t want it to keep me out any longer than I had to, and I was really trying to get ready for the last game. I feel like I could have gone, but it just wasn’t quite there.”

He described the injury as a “pretty strong contusion, strain — whatever you want to call it” and acknowledged experiencing “tough emotions” in Seattle while watching the Australia match as a spectator. The USA’s victory, which sealed top spot in Group D, softened the blow.

Despite the frustration, Pulisic appeared relaxed and upbeat around his teammates during the week’s training sessions in Southern California. After the Australia game, cameras caught him smiling and singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” with teammates on the field — a moment that reflected the squad’s mood after advancing to the knockout rounds with two wins from two.

“World Cups are so special,” Pulisic said. “Getting two wins in the first two games, sending yourself to the next round, it was just a fun moment with the team.”

Whether Pulisic starts or comes off the bench against Türkiye remains to be seen, but his presence in training and his upbeat assessment suggest the USA could have their most important player available as the knockout stage approaches.