Pulisic limps off at half-time after starring in USA's 3-0 World Cup lead over Paraguay

Christian Pulisic was withdrawn at half-time of the United States’ FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday, raising immediate concerns over the fitness of the team’s most important player. Mauricio Pochettino’s side were leading 3-0 at the break, with Pulisic having played a central role in two of those goals before his departure.

Sebastian Berhalter replaced Pulisic for the second half, and the circumstances of the substitution drew a pointed reaction from Fox co-commentator Stu Holden, a former US international. “That’s not a tactical substitution,” Holden said. “For your star player, something has to be up.”

Fox also reported that Pulisic had gestured to family and friends in the crowd with a reassuring signal — “I’m OK” — though the exact nature of any physical complaint had not been confirmed at the time of the substitution.

Before his exit, the AC Milan winger had been the standout performer on the night, dazzling on the SoFi Stadium turf and underlining why he remains the talisman of a US side hosting the tournament for the first time since 1994. His ability to create and finish at the highest level makes him irreplaceable in Pochettino’s system, and any prolonged absence would represent a significant blow to American ambitions in a tournament they are co-hosting alongside Canada and Mexico.

The USA’s strong first-half display offered plenty of encouragement regardless, with a three-goal cushion suggesting Pochettino’s preparations have translated effectively to the tournament stage. Whether Pulisic’s removal was precautionary or the result of a genuine knock remained the defining question heading into the second half.