Christian Pulisic substituted at halftime of USMNT World Cup opener due to calf tightness

Christian Pulisic was substituted at halftime during the United States men's national team's (USMNT) World Cup opener against Paraguay. Pulisic, who plays for AC Milan, assisted on the team's second goal in the first half. The substitution was made in favor of Sebastian Berhalter. The team did not initially provide a reason for the change, but USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino later stated that Pulisic experienced tightness in his calf after taking a kick, and the decision to substitute him was precautionary. Pulisic's recent injury history has raised concerns among fans, as he missed the previous summer's Gold Cup and dealt with various injuries during the last season, including a lower-back issue. His absence was felt in the second half of the match, which the USMNT won 4-1.