Pulisic proud of USMNT despite late Turkey loss in World Cup group stage

Christian Pulisic came off the bench in the 58th minute and drew a roar from the SoFi Stadium crowd, then watched Türkiye score in the 90+8th minute to beat the United States 3-2 and hand the host nation its first loss of the World Cup group stage. Even with the defeat in Inglewood, California, the USMNT had already clinched first place in Group D on six points and was bound for the round of 32.

That tension sits at the center of Pulisic’s reaction: pride in a team that handled its first two matches well enough to secure advancement, but a harder question about whether comfort with a strong group stage is the right standard for a host nation trying to prove it belongs with the tournament’s elite. The U.S. opened with a 4-1 win over Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12, then beat Australia 2-0 in Seattle on June 19, results that made the Türkiye match a chance to sharpen details rather than survive.

The closing group match still gave the Americans a brief lead. Auston Trusty scored in the third minute, Sebastian Berhalter later equalized in the second half, and Türkiye answered through Kaan Ayhan, who poked in the winner deep into stoppage time. The final whistle left Pulisic and Mauricio Pochettino with a mixed picture: progress in the standings, but a reminder that control can disappear quickly against a side still fighting for every minute.

Pochettino rotated heavily with the knockout stage in mind, resting Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards and Folarin Balogun from the start. Pulisic’s return mattered because he had been dealing with a calf injury suffered against Paraguay, and his second-half entry suggested he may be available for a larger role next week if recovery holds.

The next test comes Wednesday, July 1, when the United States faces Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. FIFA has noted that the USMNT has reached the knockout rounds in four of its last six World Cup appearances, but its best finish remains third place in 1930, a benchmark that still hangs over every American tournament run.