Pulisic Is Training Again, But Seattle's Own Cristian Roldan Just Got Hit With Bad News
Alright, hold up, Seattle! We just got a whirlwind of news from the USMNT camp, and man, it's a mixed bag. The good news? Christian Pulisic, our Cap'n America, is finally back on the training pitch after more than a week sidelined! You heard that right, he's jogging, he's touching the ball, and he's even in cleats. But here's the gut punch for us Emerald City faithful: our guy, Cristian Roldan from the Sounders, is out with a muscle strain. Seriously? Just as we get one key player back, another gets knocked down. What a wild Monday!
Pulisic's Calf Scare Looks to Be Behind Him
Dude, Pulisic stepping onto that training field on Monday was a massive relief, no joke. He hadn't been with the team since June 11, which was the day before they kicked off their World Cup run with that 4-1 win over Paraguay. Remember that game? Pulisic was an absolute menace, even after taking a knock in the days leading up to it. He started, played an impressive half, and then they pulled him off at halftime, totally precautionary. Smart move, because get this, he was actually kicked in the same spot that had been bothering him for days!
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He spent all last week doing individual work and sat out Friday's 2-0 win against Australia. But now? He was out there doing opening exercises, a series of jogs, and even rondos with his teammates. And get this: no leg sleeve on that left calf, and he was rocking cleats instead of sneakers. His longtime friend and teammate, Alex Zendejas, said Pulisic was in good spirits despite the "small little knock." Zendejas totally gets it, saying it's tough in an important tournament, but sometimes you just gotta talk about other stuff to keep his mind off the injury. Smart man.
A Sounders Star Sidelined, While Balogun Preps
But while we're all buzzing about Pulisic's return, let's pour one out for Cristian Roldan. Our Sounders midfielder is dealing with a muscle strain and totally missed Monday's session. His status is currently day-to-day, which, let's be real, isn't what you want to hear about one of our guys in the middle of a major international tournament. We need him out there, battling!
Elsewhere in the camp, forward Folarin Balogun, who absolutely hammered home a brace against Paraguay, took a modified session. He started with a jog but then hit the gym for individual work, just trying to get some extra recovery time. Good on him for staying sharp. He's expected to be available for Thursday's big game against Turkiye, so that's a positive.
So, what does this all mean for Thursday? The USMNT has already locked up the top spot in Group D, which is huge! But Pulisic's involvement for the Turkiye game is still up in the air, both because of that calf issue and, honestly, the game state. They've clinched, so maybe no need to rush him? We'll be watching closely. What a ride this World Cup is turning out to be for our American squad, and especially for our Seattle boys!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.