Pulisic expected back as USMNT close Group D against Turkey

Top spot locked in, Turkey up Thursday

Your team goes into the final Group D match against Turkey with nothing to play for except momentum. Top spot is already secured after wins over Paraguay and Australia (1). The match kicks off Thursday evening at Los Angeles Stadium (3).

Turkey are already eliminated. Hakan Calhanoglu, Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, and Kerem Akturkoglu are names worth knowing, but Vincenzo Montella's side cannot advance (3).

Pulisic expected back

Christian Pulisic trained after missing the Australia win with a calf issue. The expectation is he features against Turkey, exactly the kind of minutes he needs before the knockout rounds (1).

Germany also in action Thursday

The same day your team closes out Group D, Germany play their final group match (2). Neymar and Brazil are the emotional storyline elsewhere, but the USMNT's knockout opponent is still taking shape.

The Gold Cup loss that forged this run

Mauricio Pochettino's lowest moment with the USMNT came in the 2025 Gold Cup final, a defeat to Mexico. The Guardian calls that version of Pochettino "naive," but argues those setbacks are exactly what shaped this World Cup side (4).

Fan reactions

Fans online are loose. With top spot locked up, the mood is part victory lap, part eyes-on-the-knockout-bracket. John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" keeps coming up after it took hold during the Australia win, the expectation is it rings through Los Angeles Stadium again.