Christian Pulisic trained away from the main United States men's national team group Monday while recovering from a calf injury, ESPN reported, leaving his status a monitored issue before the USMNT's next World Cup match against Australia.
The AC Milan attacker did individual work on a separate field at the session in Irvine, California, then went to the gym for stationary-bike work. When asked how Pulisic was doing, U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino answered, "Good," according to ESPN.
Pulisic Availability Stays In Focus
The calf issue first came up in training last week, ESPN reported, and Pulisic then left Friday's 4-1 win over Paraguay at halftime. He had been central to the opening 45 minutes, playing a part in both of the first two U.S. goals.
After that match, Pulisic described the problem as a knock to the back of his leg in the calf area and said he was staying positive. ESPN's Monday update did not report a new diagnosis or a fixed return timeline, so the safest reading is straightforward: he is not fully back with the group yet, but the public tone from the U.S. camp is not alarmed.
Midfielder Tyler Adams also expressed confidence that Pulisic would be ready for the next game. ESPN quoted Adams telling everyone to relax about Pulisic's availability, adding that the attacker had been kicked in the same area more than once.
Australia Match Verified For Seattle
The United States' next World Cup game is against Australia on June 19 at Lumen Field in Seattle. ESPN's World Cup scoreboard lists kickoff at 19:00 UTC and verifies the venue as Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.
That match gives the training update its weight. Pulisic is not just a high-profile name on a recovery list; he is one of the main creators in a U.S. attack that opened the tournament with a 4-1 win over Paraguay.
ESPN's team endpoint listed the United States at 1-0-0 after one match. With Australia next, Pulisic's workload over the coming sessions will matter more than the single-word status update Pochettino gave Monday.
The current facts leave the USMNT with a cautious but manageable availability question. Pulisic trained separately, the calf issue has not vanished, and the next meaningful checkpoint comes before the Australia match in Seattle.