Christian Pulisic

Pulisic recorded one assist before exiting the field at halftime in Friday's World Cup opener against Paraguay as a precaution, the player told Doug McIntyre of Fox Sports. "I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I'm really hoping that it's nothing. Taking a little bit of precaution today, but I'm hoping I'll be fine the next few days."

Analysis: Pulisic started his World Cup on the right note Friday, as the attacker recorded an assist on the USMNT's second goal of the match. However, this was not all, as his dribbling and movement into the box were the main reasons for the own goal that gave the team their opener. He would then be taken off at halftime, given the scoreline, preserving him for future games, as he didn't appear to come off injured. A start like this for Captain America is a bright sign at the 2026 World Cup, appearing to be in the correct form to lead this team on a run.

May 29, 2026

Will be key for USMNT

Pulisic is expected to be one of the driving forces on offense for the USMNT in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Analysis: Pulisic recorded 12 goal contributions (eight goals, four assists) in 30 appearances (18 starts) for AC Milan in the 2025/26 Serie A season. However, that was a down year compared to 2024/25 when he had 11 goals and nine assists. Pulisic has drawn tons of criticism for not scoring with the USMNT since 2024, but despite that drought, he should be a key element upfront for Mauricio Pochettino's side -- regardless of the role he fills in the attacking third.

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