Christian Pulisic, the captain of the U.S. men’s national team, is likely to sit out the friendly matches in November as his club, AC Milan, has requested him to stay in Italy for rehabilitation following a hamstring strain.

The 26-year-old faced this injury during the October international window and had been recovering after his substitute appearance in a match against Australia. He has been absent from AC Milan’s recent games as well. According to a report from the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, the club has advised that Pulisic not participate in the upcoming national squad to prevent any further injuries.

For AC Milan, he has contributed four goals and two assists in Serie A, totaling six goals across all competitions. His absence is particularly concerning for the U.S. team as they gear up for friendlies against Paraguay on November 15 and Uruguay on November 18. Notably, both Paraguay and Uruguay have already secured their places for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

These matches will conclude the U.S. men’s team calendar for 2025, with the next assembly set for March 2026. The draw for the 48-team World Cup is scheduled for December 5 in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. will co-host the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico. The opening match for the U.S. team is planned for June 12 at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles.

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