Add The California Post on Google Christian Pulisic was back in the middle of everything during the U.S. men’s national team training on Monday at Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine.
For the first time since injuring his left calf ahead of the Americans’ World Cup opener against Paraguay, the team’s biggest star was a full participant in training.
The Post recorded video of Pulisic working out in the gym with his team, running on the pitch, and participating in passing drills before the media left the viewing period and the team began preparations for their final match of group play against Turkey on Thursday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Pulisic spent all of last week working on a separate field, and rehabbing his injury carefully. He had a compression sleeve on his left leg last week, but was not wearing the sleeve on Monday.
It was a sight the Americans had been waiting to see.
Pulisic initially suffered the calf injury in training before the June 12 victory over Paraguay. He still started that match and immediately showed why he remains the best player on the U.S.’s offensive attack. He split two defenders in the creation of the opening own goal that started the scoring against Paraguay, and assisted on another score by Falorin Balogun for the game’s second goal. But after taking another kick to the same calf, the muscle tightened during halftime and Mauricio Pochettino opted to pull him with the United States comfortably ahead 3-0.
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – United States Training – Great Park Sports Complex, Irvine, California, U.S. – June 22, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Kiyoshi Mio IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters What followed was a week of uncertainty.
Despite insisting he would be available against Australia, Pulisic never returned to full training and ultimately watched Friday’s 2-0 victory in Seattle from the bench. With the Americans clinching first place in Group D later that evening, it will be interesting to see if Pulisic plays on Thursday against Turkey with little reason to gamble with the health of the U.S.’s most important player.
Though reporters were only allowed to view the opening portion of training, Pulisic moved freely and showed no visible signs of discomfort.
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – United States Training – Great Park Sports Complex, Irvine, California, U.S. – June 22, 2026. Christian Pulisic of the U.S. during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Kiyoshi Mio IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Pulisic’s best friend on the team, winger Alex Zendejas, said he’s tried to give his friend support during his injury.
“It’s a tough situation when you’re going through a small little knock during an important tournament when everyone wants to be at their 100 percent,” said Zendejas. “I think it’s not so much talk about the injury or talk about the moment he’s going through. So talk to him — subjects about other stuff. Try to get his mind off it and just be there for him.”
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Ethan Sears of the New York Post contributed to this story.
