Christian Pulisic walked off the field Thursday night with a weird mix of feelings. Relief that his calf held up. Frustration that the USMNT let a 2-0 lead slip away against Turkey. And maybe a little bit of perspective, because despite the 3-2 loss, the Americans still won Group D and punched their ticket to the Round of 32.
It was Pulisic’s first action since picking up a calf injury before the Paraguay game. He missed that win. He didn’t miss much against Turkey, logging meaningful minutes and looking sharp on the ball. But the result stung.
“I felt really healthy, I felt good, it was great to be back with the team,” Pulisic told Fox Soccer’s Jenny Taft. “Get some minutes. I felt good with the ball. It’s a tough way to end for us for sure, but at the end of the day, we win the group, and we look forward to next week.”
The USMNT came out hot. They were up 2-0 early, riding the momentum from their first two wins of the 2026 World Cup. Then Turkey clawed back. Three unanswered goals flipped the game, and suddenly the Americans were staring at a loss that felt a lot less like a footnote and a lot more like a wake-up call.
A Split Locker Room Feeling
Pulisic said the locker room after the game was quiet, but not in a hopeless way. More like a room full of guys who know they just gave one away and also know they’re still alive.
“Obviously, just a little bit of disappointment at the end result, but all in all positivity,” he said. “Just to stick together is the main focus. We still have the big games ahead of us, and we did the job. It’s just time to regroup, recover, and get ready for the next one.”
That next one is Bosnia and Herzegovina next Wednesday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. A Round of 32 matchup against a team that’s tough, physical, and probably watched that Turkey comeback tape with interest.
The Americans finished group play with a 2-1 record. That’s good. Not great. Good enough to move on but not good enough to convince anyone they’re a real contender yet.
What This Loss Says About the USMNT
Let’s be real here. Losing to Turkey after going up 2-0 is not the kind of thing that builds fear in future opponents. The defense looked shaky once Turkey found its rhythm. The midfield got overrun in stretches. And the finishing — outside of that early burst — went cold.
But Pulisic being back changes the math. He’s the guy teams have to game plan for. He draws attention, draws fouls, and he’s still the most dangerous American on the field when he’s healthy. That calf held up for a full shift Thursday. That’s the best news the USMNT got all night.
The Americans have never won a World Cup. In the last five tournaments, they’ve gotten as far as the Round of 16. That’s the ceiling they’re trying to smash this time around. Bosnia stands between them and a shot at something deeper.
One thing’s for sure. Pulisic isn’t spending much time sulking. He’s already looking ahead.
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