Christian Pulisic has stated that he will do everything he can to be fit for the USA's last 16 clash with the Netherlands on Saturday.
The Chelsea star was hurt as he scored the only goal of the game against Iran in the 37th minute, bravely converting Sergino Dest's header. He was down for around five minutes before eventually being helped off the field by two medics.
The 24-year-old made it back on and played the remaining minutes of the first half but didn't come back out for the second half - being replaced by Brendan Aaronson. He was then taken to a nearby hospital for checks as his team held on to qualify for the next round of the competition.
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As the USMNT's celebrations unfolded, Pulisic sent a message to his teammates from his hospital bed: "So ******* proud of my guys. I'll be ready Saturday don't worry," he wrote on an Instagram story.
Whilst he was optimistic about a return then, the recovery's been a bit more difficult than he imagined. Still, Pulisic is confident that he'll be fit to face the Dutch.
"I didn't get, like, hit in the balls," Pulisic joked, as cited by the Daily Mail. "I'm alright, I'm alright. It was very painful and it’s just, that bone is there for a reason to protect you, I think, and I hit it well, and it was sore. But like I said, I'm getting better.
"I saw Weston [McKennie] play a great ball over the top. And my opportunity was there to just to beat the defender to the ball. And I was just able to do that, and paid the price for it a bit.
"I took a knee, you could see the video, just to a nice pelvis area – it was not nice. But obviously very painful. But yeah, feeling better, doing better now.
"I will do everything in my power to work with this medical team and make sure that I can play."
The USA will be fighting for the chance to advance to the quarterfinals - 20 years after they made it that far for the first time in the modern era of the competition.
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