Injury - Soccer Wiretap

Christian Pulisic was substituted at halftime of the United States' 4-1 World Cup opening win over Paraguay on Friday after taking a kick to his left calf, with manager Mauricio Pochettino describing the move as precautionary.

"He got a kick in the calf and at the end of the first half he started to feel tight and we didn't want to take any risks," said Pochettino. "It was difficult for him to walk. But [we] hope that it's not a big issue and he can be ready for the next one."

Pulisic was direct after the match, expressing optimism about his condition.

"I just got a bit of a kick first half, so I'm really hoping that it's nothing," said Pulisic. "Taking a little bit of precaution today, but I'm hoping I'll be fine the next few days.

"Just the back of my leg, my calf area. But I've had similar things before and I'm staying positive. I don't think it's anything at all."

Pulisic had been the standout performer in the opening half, helping force a Paraguay own goal and setting up Folarin Balogun's first of two strikes before Sebastian Berhalter replaced him at the break. The United States led 3-0 at halftime, the first time in program history the team has held a three-goal advantage at the interval in a World Cup match.

Balogun's two-goal effort marked the first time a United States player scored multiple World Cup goals in a single game since Bert Patenaude's hat trick in 1930.

The United States next face Australia in Seattle on June 19 before closing Group D play at SoFi Stadium against Turkiye on June 25. The United States are currently 64 percent favorites to beat Australia outright, according to the latest World Cup odds. 

England winger Bukayo Saka remains short of full fitness heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with manager Thomas Tuchel confirming the 24-year-old is still recovering from an Achilles injury sustained in March and cannot yet train on back-to-back days.

Saka did not train Monday but completed a full session Tuesday and is available for Wednesday's warm-up match against Costa Rica in Orlando. Tuchel said England will manage his workload throughout the tournament in a similar fashion to Arsenal's approach late in the club season.

"Bukayo is still getting there, playing through discomfort at the end of the season, but obviously managing it and playing at a high level, but still not at 100 per cent," said Tuchel. "He is the one we are building and taking care of in training.

"Some things are missing: consecutive training. They took very good care of him and were very aware of it at Arsenal, and we will do a little bit the same. So, step by step, he is at the moment not able to do every training session through the week and then play."

Saka missed Arsenal matches against Manchester City and Bournemouth in April but pushed through pain to help the club secure their first league title in more than two decades. He started the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30 before being substituted in the 83rd minute, with Arsenal ultimately falling on penalties.

Tuchel dismissed any concerns about Saka's confidence, noting the winger was decisive in key moments for Arsenal late in the season, including the Champions League semifinal second leg against Atletico Madrid.

Fellow Arsenal players Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, who joined the squad June 6, are all fully fit, Tuchel confirmed.

England, based in Kansas City for the tournament, open World Cup play against Croatia in Dallas on June 17.

England has approximately 12.5 percent World Cup odds to win the tournament.

Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark's friendly against Ukraine on Sunday, prompting the abandonment of the match in the 79th minute. The VfL Wolfsburg midfielder was conscious, stable and undergoing further tests at a hospital in Odense, Denmark.

Eriksen, 34, appeared to grab his chest before falling to the ground in the 65th minute at Nature Energy Park. Team doctor Morten Boesen confirmed the player's implantable cardioverter-defibrillator responded as expected.

"Christian is doing well and walked off the pitch by himself," said Boesen. "As I see it, the pacemaker responded as it should.

"He was briefly unconscious, but regained consciousness very quickly, and we were quickly in contact with him. He will now undergo further examinations at the hospital to determine what caused the incident. We are in ongoing contact with him and the doctors at the hospital.

"But Christian is doing well, and he asked me to send his regards to all the players and tell them that he was okay."

The incident marks the second time Eriksen has collapsed on the pitch. He suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 group match against Finland in Copenhagen in June 2021, requiring resuscitation before being fitted with a heart-starting device. He returned to professional football just eight months later with Brentford in February 2022.

Denmark and Ukraine players gathered around Eriksen during treatment. A crowd chant of "Eriksen, Eriksen" filled the stadium before Norwegian referee Sigurd Smehus Kringstad abandoned the fixture.

Wolfsburg, Tottenham and Manchester United all posted messages of support on social media. United, the club Eriksen left in 2025, described being encouraged by the positive update from the Danish federation.

Eriksen is widely regarded as one of the finest players in Danish football history. He began his career at Ajax before joining Tottenham, where he made 305 appearances, scoring 69 goals and registering 88 assists, before later spells at Inter Milan, Brentford and Manchester United. Neither Denmark nor Ukraine qualified for the World Cup.

Argentina defeated Honduras 2-0 Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, in their penultimate friendly ahead of the FIFA World Cup, with Lionel Messi watching from the bench as he continues to recover from muscle fatigue.

Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 37th minute after a foul on Nicolas Tagliafico. Atletico Madrid forward Giuliano Simeone doubled the lead early in the second half, finishing at close range after a clever Lautaro backheel set him through.

Manager Lionel Scaloni introduced a wave of substitutions shortly after Simeone's goal, but Messi was not among those called upon. The 38-year-old has been managing a minor muscle injury sustained May 25 in his final Inter Miami appearance before linking up with the national team.

Scaloni had addressed Messi's status ahead of the match, expressing measured optimism.

"Leo is doing well," said Scaloni. "Leo trained for a part with the group [on Friday], which is important. He's not fully separated; he's coming along. He may be part of the friendly matches, getting some minutes in these two friendlies. 

"But he's doing a lot better and that gives us tranquility."

The capacity crowd at Kyle Field cheered the defending champions throughout, though Messi's absence from the pitch was a visible disappointment for many in attendance.

Argentina close out their pre-tournament schedule against Iceland on June 9 before opening Group J play against Algeria on June 16, with Austria and Jordan to follow.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni confirmed Friday that Lionel Messi is recovering from left hamstring fatigue and could see action in the team's upcoming friendly matches before the World Cup begins June 16.

Messi, 38, suffered the injury May 25 in his final Inter Miami appearance before joining the national team. Scaloni indicated the forward has resumed partial group training, a positive sign ahead of Argentina's title defense.

"Leo is doing well," said Scaloni. "Leo trained for a part with the group, which is important. He's not fully separated; he's coming along. He may be part of the friendly matches, getting some minutes in these two friendlies. We'll see if it's the one tomorrow or the next one. But he's doing a lot better and that gives us tranquility."

Argentina faces Honduras on Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, before meeting Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday to close out their pre-tournament preparations.

Four additional squad members, Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Nico Paz and Gonzalo Montiel, are also working through rehabilitation separately from the main group. Scaloni said all four are progressing but will be held out of at least Saturday's friendly as a precaution.

The manager was direct about the team's contingency plan for the 26-man roster.

"It can happen," said Scaloni. "Today we have the feeling that the guys are doing well, but what we're completely sure of is that if any one of them is not available, they'll be left out.

"We have that clear. For now, they're doing well, but we've been monitoring them. When the decisive stage arrives, which is the final week, where they have to ramp up to see if they are 100%, that's when we'll decide, even though it'll hurt a lot if any one of the guys has to be left out."

The defending champions open Group J play against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16, with Austria and Jordan to follow.

Germany midfielder Lennart Karl, 18, will miss the 2026 World Cup after suffering a torn muscle in training Friday, the German Football Association confirmed. RB Leipzig's Assan Ouedraogo, 20, will replace him in the squad.

The injury occurred during Germany's final training session before Saturday's pre-tournament friendly against the United States in Chicago.

"Unfortunately Lenni injured himself today in training. We need to wait on what happens with that and to be honest, it didn't look so good," said coach Julian Nagelsmann.

World Cup rules permit Germany to call up a replacement in cases of serious injury or illness until 24 hours before their tournament opener against Curacao on June 14.

Karl had emerged as one of the standout young players in any World Cup squad following a strong season at Bayern Munich, where he became the club's youngest goal-scorer in Champions League history. He scored nine goals for Bayern last season and made his Germany debut in March, earning three caps including a starting role in last week's 4-0 victory over Finland.

Nagelsmann also confirmed Friday that 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will not feature against the United States due to a calf injury sustained at Bayern last month. Neuer, who retired from international football after Euro 2024 before accepting a recall last month, would enter the World Cup without having played for Germany in nearly two years. Oliver Baumann remains the team's first-choice goalkeeper.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said Wednesday he expects Lamine Yamal to be available for the team's World Cup opener against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15, though the 18-year-old will sit out Thursday's warmup match against Iraq in A Coruna.

"If nothing changes, he could be ready to play on June 15," De la Fuente said. "It doesn't mean that for sure he will play, we'll see. Maybe a few minutes, maybe just practice so he can improve his condition for the second match. We will have to evaluate."

Yamal suffered a left hamstring injury while converting a penalty kick for Barcelona in a Spanish league match on April 22. The Barcelona forward said this week he feared missing the tournament entirely and prayed he would recover in time.

De la Fuente also confirmed that Nico Williams and Victor Munoz, both carrying injuries, will sit out Thursday's match alongside players who featured in last week's Champions League final.

Spain's final warmup match is scheduled against Peru in Mexico on Monday. De la Fuente declined to specify who would feature in that fixture.

Yamal is expected to be the focal point of a Spain side seeking its second World Cup title. The defending European champions have not advanced past the round of 16 at the World Cup since their lone triumph in 2010.

After opening against Cape Verde in Group H, Spain face Saudi Arabia on June 21 in Atlanta and Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara.

"We are all excited to get started and try to do well at the tournament," De la Fuente said.

Spain are overall favorites to win the World Cup.

Polymarket

Deposit $20, get a $50 trading bonus

New users only. Must be 18+ with a valid U.S. address.

ACQUIRE04

Promo code

Claim $50

Lionel Messi trained apart from his Argentina teammates during the squad's first practice session in the United States Monday, continuing his individual recovery program from a left hamstring problem as the defending World Cup champions begin preparations for their title defense.

The Inter Miami captain, 38, has been sidelined with muscle fatigue in the hamstring since May 24 but is expected to be fit for Argentina's opening group match against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.

Seven other players also worked separately from the main group, including goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Nico Paz, Leandro Paredes, Nico Gonzalez, Thiago Almada, Gonzalo Montiel, and Nahuel Molina.

"The players who are suffering from niggles and injuries continue to work with the physiotherapy team on specific exercises on the pitch and are making good progress," Argentina's Football Association said in a statement.

Coach Lionel Scaloni received encouraging fitness news elsewhere. Defender Cristian Romero, recovering from a ligament sprain in his right knee, and Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, who has been out since May 5 with an ankle problem, both completed Monday's full session after being cleared to return.

Argentina face Honduras in a warm-up friendly Saturday before a final pre-tournament match against Iceland in Auburn, Alabama on June 9. The Albiceleste will also face Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27 in Arlington, Texas, to complete Group D play.

Argentina are -340 favorites to win their group.

Arsenal and France defender William Saliba is in serious doubt for the 2026 World Cup after sustaining a back injury several weeks ago, with scans scheduled to determine the extent of the damage, sources told ESPN.

The primary concern is that the 25-year-old will require a prolonged period of rest and treatment, effectively ruling him out of the tournament. France are among the favorites to win the competition and open Group I play against Senegal, Iraq, and Norway.

Saliba appeared in 50 of Arsenal's 63 matches across all competitions this season, playing a key role in the club's Premier League title triumph and run to the Champions League final, where Arsenal fell to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Budapest.

France manager Didier Deschamps has eight other defenders available in his 26-man squad, including Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Malo Gusto, Lucas Digne, and Maxence Lacroix. Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga was a notable omission from the squad.

Deschamps struck a measured tone when presenting his roster.

"I have ambition, and I want the players to have it too. But I don't want us to lose our humility," he said. "I'm not going to hide and say we're not among the teams with the potential to become world champions.

"But there are eight, maybe 10 teams that can say that. It's not by shouting: 'We're the best, we're the strongest.'"

Losing Saliba would represent a significant setback for Les Bleus as he is one of the top defenders in world football.

Mikel Arteta confirmed defender Jurrien Timber is available to start Saturday's Champions League final for Arsenal against Paris Saint-Germain at Puskas Arena.

Timber, 24, has been absent since March 14 with a groin injury but has returned to full training. Winger Noni Madueke is also fit after suffering cramp in Arsenal's final Premier League match against Crystal Palace, where the Gunners lifted the title to end a 22-year wait for the English championship.

Arsenal are seeking the first Champions League title in the club's history. Their only previous final appearance came 20 years ago, when Arsene Wenger's side fell 2-1 to Barcelona in Paris. PSG eliminated Arsenal at the semifinal stage last season.

"It is the opportunity to own the moment," said Arteta. "It is the second time we are here and we have an opportunity to write a new chapter in the history of this football club. In order to do that we have to play tomorrow with such a clarity, a lot of courage and a relentless desire to win."

Arteta dismissed any suggestion the Premier League title had eased the pressure heading into the final.

"The ambition is bigger. We have one and we want the second one," he said. "They are defending the trophy. They are the last ones who earned the right to lift that trophy and they are actually the champions. We are here to take that away from them."