Pulisic targets USMNT return against Türkiye, but full match unlikely

Christian Pulisic says he is ready to be involved for the United States against Türkiye, but a full 90-minute outing appears unlikely as he returns from a left calf problem. The attacker has rejoined full training after missing the win over Australia.

Pulisic has played only 45 minutes at this World Cup so far, with the calf issue beginning in training before the Paraguay match and later keeping him out of the Australia game. He indicated that any playing-time plan will be decided with the coaching and medical staff rather than set publicly in advance.

The U.S. may also manage the wider squad carefully. Mauricio Pochettino is expected to consider some rotation, with Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson all carrying yellow cards, while Cristian Roldan is doubtful because of a muscle strain.

For the USMNT, the key question is whether Pulisic can regain rhythm quickly without unnecessary risk before the knockout stage. His return to training is a positive sign, but the final group match may be more about controlled minutes than an immediate full workload.