Christian Pulisic has reportedly sustained a bone bruise and a microfracture in his leg during the U.S. Men’s National Team’s (USMNT) 4-1 loss to Belgium on Monday in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16, as confirmed by U.S. Soccer on Thursday.
The Athletic was the first outlet to break this news.
Advertisement
The U.S. forward sustained the injury in the 52nd minute while attempting a shot outside the Belgium box, inadvertently kicking the foot of Youri Tielemans. Despite his efforts to continue, it was evident that Pulisic was in pain, and he was substituted seven minutes later for Sebastian Berhalter.
Pulisic appeared frustrated as he received treatment on the sidelines while athletic trainers assessed his lower right leg.
“I just twisted my ankle and sprained my ankle. It’s just frustrating to end like that, but now I get time to rest, so hopefully, it will be all right,” Pulisic stated afterward.
Advertisement
Further assessments revealed that the 27-year-old has a bone bruise and a microfracture in his tibia/fibula. He is expected to be sidelined for several weeks, with a possible return just before AC Milan begins its Serie A season on August 23.
U.S. Soccer announced they will collaborate with the Italian club to develop a recovery plan for Pulisic.
Criticism Directed at Pulisic Following USMNT Loss
Following a promising start for the U.S. in the World Cup, the defeat to Belgium prompted criticism directed at Pulisic from various sources, including former national team players.
Carli Lloyd, a two-time World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women’s national team, expressed her disappointment in Pulisic while serving as an analyst for Fox Sports.
“You wanted some of the big-time players to step up in big moments, and I must admit, I was a bit disappointed in Christian Pulisic,” Lloyd said. “Whether he wishes to be regarded as the star of this team or not, we didn’t see enough from him in this game, and really throughout the entire World Cup.”
Lloyd then took to X to respond to Pulisic’s comments regarding resting for his injury.
Landon Donovan, a veteran of three World Cups for the U.S., expressed his views on his podcast this week, stating people are “fed up” with those surrounding Pulisic.
“I speak to people affiliated with U.S. Soccer, his sponsors, teammates, as well as the staff and coaches. There’s a lot of frustration regarding how things are managed around him,” Donovan noted. “It’s not necessarily him, but rather his agents, family, and entourage who are influencing the situation. People are growing tired of it. They treat individuals poorly and handle situations ineffectively. It’s always a ‘no’ whenever you try to arrange an interview with him. You can’t approach him.”
Pulisic also sustained an injury during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, damaging his pelvic area after scoring against Iran in the final group-stage match. He did return for the USMNT’s subsequent match in the Round of 16, which ended in a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands.