US confirms Pulisic leg fracture in World Cup loss to Belgium
Christian Pulisic suffered a microfracture and bone bruise in his right leg during the US 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the World Cup round of 16. He will be sidelined for several weeks but not months, according to reports, and his recovery will be managed jointly by US Soccer and AC Milan.
The US Soccer Federation has confirmed that forward Christian Pulisic fractured his leg during the 4-1 loss to Belgium in the World Cup round of 16. Pulisic was substituted in the 59th minute, shortly after Belgium scored their third goal in Seattle.
The injury occurred early in the second half when Pulisic attempted a shot but instead kicked the back of Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans's leg. A US Soccer statement said Pulisic was diagnosed with a microfracture and bone bruise of the tibia/fibula in his right leg.
US Soccer and Pulisic's club, AC Milan, will collaborate on his recovery. While no official timeline was given, The Athletic reported that Pulisic will be sidelined for several weeks but not months, citing sources.
The US defeat sparked criticism in the media, with questions about Pulisic's early withdrawal. Carli Lloyd, the US all-time leading goal scorer, expressed disappointment, saying Pulisic did not show enough in the game or the tournament and criticizing his decision to skip the 2025 Gold Cup. Landon Donovan, the top US men's World Cup scorer, said he would have refused to leave the field. AC Milan begin their Serie A campaign on 23 August against Torino.
