United States men’s national team winger Christian Pulisic is expected to miss several weeks after suffering a fracture to his right leg, U.S. Soccer confirmed on Thursday.
Diagnostic imaging including an X-ray and an MRI conducted on Tuesday revealed that the American captain sustained both a bone bruise and a microfracture to his tibia and fibula, injuries sustained during the United States’ 4-1 Round of 16 loss to Belgium on Monday at Seattle Stadium.
The incident took place in the 52nd minute of play when Pulisic collided with the leg of Belgium captain Youri Tielemans while executing a shot on goal. Although he attempted to remain on the pitch, he was visibly hobbling and was ultimately substituted out for Sebastian Berhalter in the 59th minute. Following the match, Pulisic commented on the physical toll of the sequence, stating, “I just totally twisted my ankle and my knee in one play” while adding that he would now use the time to recuperate. His remarks drew public criticism from former USWNT star turned Fox sports analyst Carli Lloyd, who posted on social media, “You rest when your playing career is over. Period.”
The setback adds to a difficult tournament for Pulisic, as he failed to score during this World Cup cycle. He sat out a group-stage match against Australia due to a calf issue and left two other matches early, though he did contribute a pair of assists during a group-stage win over Paraguay. Team officials indicated the injury would have prevented him from participating further even if the United States had advanced.
The 27-year-old forward will undergo a collaborative rehabilitation program managed by U.S. Soccer and his Italian club, AC Milan. He is projected to resume training in August ahead of AC Milan’s Serie A season opener against Torino on Aug. 23.
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