SEATTLE — Christian Pulisic expressed his disappointment after suffering an injury that prematurely ended his World Cup journey, coinciding with the United States‘s 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the round of 16.
The star of AC Milan suffered a right ankle injury during the 59th minute and was substituted for Sebastian Berhalter. The injury occurred when Pulisic’s shot inadvertently hit Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans’ leg. The referee did not award a free kick despite Pulisic collapsing in obvious pain, leading to his substitution just seven minutes later as he favored his foot.
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“I completely twisted my ankle and knee in that one play,” Pulisic stated. “It’s unfortunate to finish in this way, but I have some time to rest.”
This injury marked Pulisic’s second setback during the World Cup. After an impressive first half against Paraguay, he contended with a calf injury that sidelined him for parts of three matches. Ultimately, he concluded the tournament without a goal and secured just one assist.
“I felt really strong this summer with the team, and I believed my level was high,” Pulisic reflected. “It’s disappointing not having the moments I anticipated, especially in helping us push past a great team.”
“Of course, I’m let down by my performance, but I’ll strive to remain positive. I accomplished many good things, and so did the team,” he added.
When asked about leaving the match with his injuries, Pulisic acknowledged his belief in his teammates’ ability to turn the game around but admitted the injuries were frustrating.
“I believe in the guys regardless, and we fight until the final whistle,” he said. “It’s been tough with this injury following an earlier one. It’s been difficult for me, but we have a fantastic team with many players who stepped up during this tournament.”
Pulisic displayed his frustration at Lumen Field as the U.S. faced a dominant Belgium side, which secured victory with two goals from Charles De Ketelaere and additional goals from Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku, with Malik Tillman scoring the sole U.S. goal.
“We entered the match with a positive mindset, and there are many aspects of this summer we can be proud of. However, it’s always hard to lose in this manner,” Pulisic noted.
“I think we delivered some excellent performances. We progressed from our group convincingly and managed to win against Bosnia. There is certainly reason to be proud, but we aspire for more and want to compete against the best in the world—we’re close to bridging that gap.”
The U.S. exhibited little of the characteristic aggressiveness that had defined their earlier successes against Paraguay, Australia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Yet Pulisic attributed the team’s struggles to Belgium’s effective game plan.
“I wouldn’t say we were less aggressive,” he explained. “Belgium executed a solid strategy, placing balls behind us as we pressed, which caused significant issues. They won many second balls and were clinical in the boxes.”
Pulisic took a moment to thank the fans for their support throughout the World Cup.
“We are grateful for the tremendous support this summer,” he said. “It felt as though the fans truly elevated their backing. Those memories from hosting a World Cup in the U.S. will stay with me forever.”
Looking ahead, Pulisic mentioned that he plans to take some time off before preparing for the upcoming club season with AC Milan, where he will look to impress new manager Ruben Amorim.
“I’ll spend some time with family and take a break from the game, but I’ll be back in a few weeks as we head into preseason and rejoin the national team. There’s still much we want to achieve,” he concluded.