The USMNT star is aiming to play against the Netherlands

Al Rayyan – Qatar – United States midfielder Christian Pulisic He said on Thursday that he would “do my best” to play in Saturday’s World Cup round of 16 match against the Netherlands.

Pulisic’s official day-to-day status remains a bruised pelvis, according to an NFL spokesperson.

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He suffered the injury after scoring against Iran in the final match of the group stage on Tuesday. The United States eventually prevailed 1-0, a result that moved coach Greg Berhalter’s team to second place in Group B. The question now is whether he will recover in time to play.

“I will now go to meet the team’s medical staff and make a decision about it [training] Today, just look how I feel, I take it day by day,” Pulisic said in a press conference on Thursday. “At the moment I’m doing everything I can to be able to be out there on the field on Saturday.”

Pulisic later clarified that he “wasn’t hit on the balls. I’m fine”, but that he did hit his pelvic bone.

“It was so painful,” he said. “That bone is there for a reason to protect you; I hit it so well.” “It was painful, but it’s getting better.”

Pulisic’s situation remains the biggest concern ahead of Saturday’s game against the Netherlands. The United States struggled mightily without him in the second half against Iran, even when the game was over.

But Pulisic said he remains confident that no matter who is on the field, the team will get the job done, and that comforts him.

“Honestly, this team helps me a lot to take the pressure off me,” he said. “A couple of years ago, there were times when I probably felt like I needed to do more.

“But with these guys, I don’t feel that way at all, to be honest. I know they have my back. I know when I went down, and I see Brenden [Aaronson] I run out onto the field, I’m not worried at all because I know these guys.

“I mean, you see the talent. You see the work they’ve put in. It’s just the unity of this group that makes it special and they take on any pressure that might be outside of me. They know I’ve had their support. They are.” [have] I got mine.”

An NFL spokesperson added that forward Josh Sargent He is also day to day with right ankle soreness.