Pulisic limps off the field, revealing the biggest weakness of the US team in the World Cup.

The Forty-Five Minutes

When Pochettino walked into the press conference room, his first words weren't about praising the team, but frowning and complaining about the noisy environment.

"It's too loud in here," he said into the microphone. "For the next match, we need to change the press conference room. This bothers me."

On a night when they won 4-1, the Argentine veteran wasn't concerned about tactics, players, or opponents, but about the acoustics of the press room.

But this is the real Pochettino. Even when winning comfortably, he'll still find something to nitpick.

Back to the match itself. On June 12, 2026, at SoFi Stadium, in the first round of World Cup Group D, the USA faced Paraguay. As soon as the opening whistle blew, the hosts hit the accelerator. Balogun scored twice, Bobadilla put one in his own net, and by halftime, the scoreboard read 3-0. Before the final whistle, Reyna added another, making it 4-1.

In this match, the one who truly dismantled Paraguay's entire left flank was just one man: Pulisic.

Spain's Mundo Deportivo used a very apt word in its post-match report—he "sliced through" Paraguay's defense on the left flank. Not a breakthrough, not a twist or turn, but a straight penetration, like a scalpel cutting through cloth.

Over those 45 minutes, Pulisic's statistical footprint was: one assist, one directly caused own goal, and countless fouls drawn against him. The invisible data: Paraguay's entire left flank barely had a decent advance in the first half.

Pochettino is someone who has seen big moments. Having coached Tottenham, PSG, and Chelsea, he's handled enough stars to make an all-star lineup. But even he, when talking about the first half after the match, said this: "The first 45 minutes we played so well, it's hard to find a team that can play at this level."

There's an undeniable pride in that statement.

As the World Cup hosts, the weight of those five words is not something any head coach can easily shoulder. Historical experience tells everyone: the "host advantage," in the crucible of the World Cup, can often be reverse-activated into a curse where "everyone's guns are aimed at you." The US team's performance in the first 45 minutes temporarily lifted that curse.

But Pochettino shifted gears, talking about Pulisic.

"He took a kick to his calf, and felt tightness at the end of the first half," Pochettino said. "We didn't want to take any risks. He was struggling to walk, but hopefully it's not a big issue, and he can be ready for the next match."

"He was struggling to walk"—these five words carry significant weight coming from a coach known for sidestepping in press conferences.

The question is: was Pulisic kicked during the match, or was he already injured in training?

The answer is the latter. The Hindu's follow-up report clearly pointed out: Pulisic's calf was kicked during training last week, and the area he was kicked in the first half of the opener was the same spot injured in training. In other words, he played those 45 minutes while carrying an injury.

The Athletic's analysis piece had a very sharp angle—they directly contrasted Pulisic's struggles at AC Milan with his dominant performances for the national team, pointing the finger squarely at Milan coach Allegri. The article's core idea can be summed up in one sentence: Pulisic's slump at the club wasn't a player issue; it was the coach misusing him.

Translated into the language of the Chinese internet: Allegri wasted a whole season of Pulisic.

Why say this? Because Pulisic operates under two completely different sets of instructions for the national team and for Milan.

With the national team, Pochettino gives him a very pure role—a free-roaming forward. Receive the ball, break through, finish, or make the final pass. He doesn't need to track back on defense, doesn't need to cover for the midfield, and doesn't need to bear a heavy organizational burden. Pochettino uses him like a dagger without a fixed sheath, placing him in the opponent's most painful spot, allowing him to strike wherever he wants.

At Milan? Under Allegri, Pulisic became a part that couldn't find the rhythm in the system—dropping too deep, having too many defensive duties, awkward connections with the midfield, and failing to establish chemistry with the center forward.

Two sets of instructions, two ways of using him, two different results.

So, these 45 minutes in the opener actually answered a question that had been repeatedly asked by all American fans for an entire season: Is Pulisic still good enough?

The answer is: Yes, very much so. As long as he's not playing under the wrong coach.

Speaking of which, credit must be given to Pochettino. He specifically emphasized in the press conference: "This isn't just about mentioning a certain name, but talking about the team. I think it's not just Balogun or any other specific player who played well; the entire team was amazing."

From a PR standpoint, this was flawless. From a competitive standpoint, it's the standard "coach's script"—praise the whole team when winning, look for form when losing.

But anyone who truly knows football understands that the reason the US team played at a level Pochettino himself called "hard to surpass" in the first half was entirely due to Pulisic's presence on the left flank. Paraguay didn't dare to push forward fully, fearing his counter-attacks; their center-backs hesitated to press high, afraid he would punish their positioning with his speed; the midfield was forced to drop back and help, worried he would deliver a killer pass at any moment.

In the 45 minutes Pulisic wasn't on the field, Paraguay scored a consolation goal and didn't look as overwhelmed—but the 3-goal deficit was too large to make any waves.

This is the true role of a core player: not the one or two goals on the stat sheet, but forcing the entire opponent to play according to his rhythm for the whole game.

The opener was won. Pulisic was injured. The story is only at halftime.

Seattle Countdown

Now it's Irvine, California, the training base for the US team.

Pulisic is doing rehabilitation training alone on the sidelines. This scene itself is quite narrative—teammates are running tactical drills on the pitch while he performs basic rehab exercises like lateral jumps and single-leg hops. There are no cameras, no journalists on site, only the medical team accompanying him.

Translating this scene: his national team career might be at a critical crossroads.

Yardbarker's report was very clear: Pulisic couldn't train with the team on Monday. He did separate conditioning work with a fitness coach in Irvine. This included gym work, individual technical practice, and those signature lateral jumps and single-leg hops.

Anyone who knows football understands these are standard tests for calf muscle condition. Being able to do them means the muscle can still exert force; but only under the monitoring of the medical team means the doctors and coaching staff are unwilling to risk testing that leg in a contact environment.

This caution is well-founded. Only the first match of the World Cup group stage has been played, with tough battles ahead. On June 19, the US team will face Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle—a match that can almost decide the top spot in the group.

Why so? Because Australia is no pushover. On the same matchday the US thrashed Paraguay 4-1, Australia beat Turkey 2-0 in the other Group D match. This directly created a delicate triangular situation in Group D: both the US and Australia have 3 points. Whoever wins this direct clash on June 19 basically secures the top spot.

Lose? Then the final match on June 25 against Turkey becomes a must-win. Although Turkey lost 2-0 to Australia in the first round, this team proved its overall strength during the UEFA qualifiers. So, the margin for error for the US in the next two matches is extremely thin.

This is why Pulisic's injury has everyone on edge.

The signal Pochettino sent in Monday's press conference was cautiously optimistic: "Pulisic is in 'good' condition. He did gym work and individual practice, moving well." But he gave no promises, only saying, "Whether Pulisic can play will be confirmed when the starting lineup is announced before the match."

Translation: The kid is looking okay, but whether he starts depends on his recovery over the next few days.

Midfielder Tyler Adams was more blunt: "Pulisic will be ready."

Coming from a veteran who has been with the national team for nearly a decade, these words sound like comfort, but upon closer inspection, they also reflect uncertainty. Adams isn't a team doctor; he can only judge based on a teammate's condition, not from medical imaging. Winger Haji Wright expressed similar confidence.

But confidence is confidence. In football, there's a huge gap between "I believe he can play" and "he can truly complete 90 minutes."

Pulisic's own reaction to the injury was very professional: "Have experienced similar issues before, currently maintaining a positive mindset."

Hearing this from him, you can't tell if he's truly fine or just using standard player rhetoric.

But here's a data point to consider. Pulisic currently ranks fifth on the US men's all-time scoring list with 33 goals, and fourth in assists with 21. At 27, he's in the prime of his career. If this injury causes him to miss the crucial match against Australia, it would not only be a tactical loss for the US team but also see a golden window for him to prove himself on the World Cup stage close shut.

Football is cruel. One week he was the hope of the entire nation; the next, he could be thrust onto the media's grill as a "glass man." American soccer has seen its share of scripts where a core player is struck down by injury at a critical moment. This time, the script can be different.

Pochettino now has a card to play: even if Pulisic can't start, the US team has proven they aren't a single-star team. Balogun scored twice, Reyna scored off the bench, the midfield has a stabilizer like Adams, and the defense has a backline that didn't let Paraguay gain an inch in the opener.

So, the essence of the problem isn't "Can Pulisic play?" but "Is the US team prepared to perform at the level of the first half of the opener even without Pulisic?"

This is the real suspense worth watching in that Seattle match.

June 19, Lumen Field. When the lights come on again, the answer will be revealed.

Either Pulisic plays through the pain, continuing to tear open Australia's defense with that unpredictable left leg.

Or the Americans must answer, on a night without their star, a question harder than the one from the opener:

How far can we go without Pulisic?