It was a masterclass in attacking football on Group Stage Matchday 1, and the fact that it came from the USMNT made it that much more surprising. However, it wasn’t perfect as Mauricio Pochettino was forced to substitute star player Christian Pulisic at half-time. Questions were raised, doubts seeped in, and many wondered: would the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosts be without their star for Group Stage Matchday 2?

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the AC Milan forward has recovered from his calf issue and will be available for the Americans’ match against Australia. That is a major relief for many USMNT fans, especially given that Pulisic is the linchpin of that team. However, the report remains unconfirmed, even though the Italian journalist is a tier 1 source.

Even then, questions remain as to whether he will start. That remains unlikely, given that Pochettino won’t want to risk his best player, even against Australia. The USMNT did manage to produce an impressive performance against Paraguay, walking out as 4-1 winners. It was arguably one of their best performances in a World Cup, and the 27-year-old was at the heart of it all, despite walking into the team injured.

The forward had reportedly hurt his calf during training before the World Cup and has endured a tough season. Pulisic had his minutes managed in the latter half with AC Milan. In fact, while he played all but three games in 2026, he completed a full 90 only thrice. Not just that, he also failed to score a single Serie A goal in 2026.

Despite that, the American stepped up in the 4-1 win, before he was replaced at half-time. Since then, Christian Pulisic has been training separately from the rest of the team. The American has been on a “modified training program” as reported by the Guardian. Reporters didn’t even see him with the team during the opening training session in Irvine over the week.

In fact, the Guardian further added that Pulisic had only been in the gym since the game, shifting to ball training on Wednesday. However, his will to be back on the pitch with his teammates at a home FIFA World Cup hasn’t changed.

“I know he really wants to be [on the field tomorrow],” Weston McKennie said as per the Guardian. “And he’s doing everything that he can, and the staff is doing everything that they can as well.”

Whether Pulisic starts or not, the update is a significant boost for the USMNT ahead of a crucial clash. Yet while reports have painted an optimistic picture, Mauricio Pochettino recently provided his own assessment of the injury and where his star forward stands.

Mauricio Pochettino opens up on Christian Pulisic’s injury

Few players are as important to a national team’s system as Christian Pulisic. Since his debut for the USMNT in 2016, no American player has scored more goals. In fact, despite earning 31 fewer caps than Eric Wynalda, Pulisic is only three goals away from 4th place in the all-time list. It shows the impact the 27-year-old has had, despite injuries playing a huge part in his career.

So much so that the American has missed over 100 days of action since 2023. That includes six league games for AC Milan in the 2025/26 season alone. It’s why Mauricio Pochettino has tread carefully with the forward, replacing him at the slightest aggravation. But ahead of the USMNT’s second group stage game, the Argentine held his cards close to his vest with regard to Pulisic’s fitness.

“I think as you know he was training individually all week,” Pochettino said during his pre-match press conference as per the Guardian. “Like always, I think tonight or the day before the game we have a meeting with our medical area, we will assess the whole group, and tomorrow we will communicate if we agree on something tonight.

“He is evolving, he is much better from Friday, we’ll see. At this point ,if he’s not available for tomorrow, he’ll be available for the next game.”

Only time will tell whether Christian Pulisic starts the USMNT’s second game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, if he doesn’t, the chances are Pochettino and his staff are being overly careful with their star forward ahead of the knockout stages.