Christian Pulisic Injury Leaves USMNT Without Biggest Star vs. Australia

The United States men’s national team will be without its biggest star Friday against Australia in one of the biggest soccer matches in recent history for the U.S.

USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino announced just a couple hours before the match that Christian Pulisic will miss the contest due to a calf injury, with Ricardo Pepi stepping into the starting lineup in his place.

And this isn’t all that surprising.

Pulisic didn’t play in the second half of the USMNT’s opener against Paraguay, coming out at the break and not returning. That created immediate concern about his status moving forward, and now that concern has turned into reality with Pulisic officially out against Australia.

Any time Pulisic is unavailable, it’s significant news.

He’s long been the face of American soccer and one of the most important players in the program. His ability to create chances, score goals and provide leadership makes him one of the most influential players on the roster. He may not always be the best player on the field relative to some of the other stars in the World Cup, but for this U.S. team, his importance is massive.

Naturally, the first concern is his health.

Calf injuries can be tricky. They can linger, they can impact explosiveness, and if not handled carefully, they can sometimes lead to bigger issues. So the U.S. will have to hope this is more precautionary than anything long-term.

On the other side of it, Pulisic’s absence creates a major opportunity for Pepi.

He’s a talented striker and one of the most important young pieces for the future of this team. This could be the type of moment that helps define his role with the USMNT moving forward.

The Americans have been dependent on Pulisic in the past. If they can figure it out without him, it would be an encouraging sign both short-term in this tournament and long-term for the program.

Either way, all eyes will be on Pepi in Pulisic’s absence Friday against Australia.