Christian Pulisic appears to be trending in the right direction for the United States men’s national team after returning to full training ahead of the team’s final group-stage match against Turkey.
The U.S. captain trained fully with the squad on June 23, according to ESPN, marking his first full session since suffering a left calf injury earlier this month. While his availability for the Turkey match remains uncertain, the update gives the Americans another reason for optimism after already securing first place in their World Cup group.
Pulisic originally injured his calf two days before the United States opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay.
Christian Pulisic Returns to Full Training After Calf Injury
Despite the injury, Pulisic started against Paraguay and played the first half before leaving the match after aggravating the issue.
The AC Milan star did not participate fully in training leading up to the team’s 2-0 victory over Australia and remained on the bench for that match.
His return to training comes at an important time as the Americans prepare for the knockout rounds.
The news was not as encouraging for midfielder Cristian Roldan, who is dealing with a muscle strain and remains day-to-day, according to a U.S. Soccer spokesperson.
Roldan’s injury creates additional questions in midfield. Tyler Adams is carrying a yellow card and could potentially sit out against Türkiye to avoid suspension for the round of 32.
Before Roldan’s injury, he appeared to be a leading candidate to replace Adams if the coaching staff decided to rest the veteran midfielder.
USMNT Players Describe High Confidence Inside the Squad
Even with injury concerns, confidence remains high throughout the U.S. camp.
The Americans have already clinched the top spot in their group, and players say the atmosphere around the team has remained strong throughout the tournament.
“I think the vibes are high,” Alex Zendejas said.
“The team is, like, having fun; training’s intense, but in a good way. We’re competing. And I think that’s since the beginning of this whole camp. I think it’s been a month now, but that says a lot about the ‘it’ group.”
Zendejas added that the team’s chemistry has continued to grow throughout its extended time together.
“Even with those FIFA windows, which are like 10 days, vibes are high there. So you can only imagine with being a month together. And yeah, it’s fun being around these guys, there’s a bunch of jokes, messing around, but then when it comes to work and training and games like, we get serious and win, showing up for sure these past couple games.”
The USMNT Reflects on Growing Fan Support Across the United States
As the Americans advance deeper into the World Cup, players are becoming increasingly aware of the excitement surrounding the team back home.
Forward Folarin Balogun revealed that teammate Weston McKennie has been sharing videos showing fans gathering across the country to watch matches.
“Just like fans in different parts, watching the games on some big screens, bars and stuff,” Balogun told reporters.
“And you know, every time we score, [they] were celebrated in different places. I think it’s not something any of us can really comprehend ’cause we’re in it, but I think once we’re out of it [and] kind of get on with our daily lives, I think we’ll be able to see the impact we’ve made, and it’s a beautiful thing.”
The growing support was also visible after the United States defeated Australia to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Following the victory, Pulisic shared an Instagram photo of several players gathered in prayer on the field.
Although Pulisic’s return to full training is an encouraging sign, U.S. Soccer has not yet confirmed whether he will start or play against Turkey.
Christian Pulisic Takes Major Step Toward Injury Return Against Turkey