SEATTLE — Captain America is on ice.

Christian Pulisic was out for the U.S. men’s national team Friday against Australia after spending the week battling a left calf injury, leaving the Americans without their best player on a day they could clinch the top spot in World Cup Group D.

“Christian is not available and the evolution is really well,” manager Mauricio Pochettino told Fox. “Today was training in the morning in the training camp. I think the feelings are good.

“I hope as soon as possible he can be ready to be selected again and be part of the team. Now we need to be focused and be part of the team, the players that are going to play. We have a very important game. Australia’s gonna be really tough. But of course a little bit sad because he wanted to stay, he wanted to participate today. It’s still so early.”

Pulisic came off at halftime in the USMNT’s World Cup opener against Paraguay after being kicked in the same area where he’d suffered a knock a few days prior in training.

Though he downplayed the injury immediately after the 4-1 win, and his teammates seemed to think it wouldn’t keep him from playing early in the week, it became clear they had been overly optimistic as the days passed on and Pulisic continued training on his own.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino said at his press conference Thursday that a decision would be made after meeting with the medical staff later that night.

“There’s no doubt he’s one of their best players, an outstanding footballer,” Australia manager Tony Popovic said of Pulisic. “When injuries occur, you need another option, another solution. Looking through their squad, they have plenty of options there.”