Christian Pulisic to be sidelined weeks after suffering right leg fracture in USMNT’s loss to Belgium

Christian Pulisic is expected to be sidelined for several weeks after sustaining a right‑leg fracture during the United States’ 4‑1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16. U.S. Soccer announced the injury on Thursday, confirming that diagnostic imaging—including an X‑ray and an MRI performed on Tuesday—revealed a bony bruise and a microfracture in Pulisic’s tibia and fibula. The damage occurred in the 52nd minute of the match held at Seattle Stadium on Monday, when Pulisic collided with the leg of Belgium captain Youri Tielemans while attempting a shot on goal. Although he tried to remain on the field, the winger was visibly hobbling and was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter in the 59th minute. After the game, Pulisic addressed the physical toll of the incident, saying, “I just wholly twisted my ankle and my genu in 1 play.” He added that he would use the coming period to focus on recovery. His comments prompted sharp criticism from former USWNT star and Fox Sports analyst Carli Lloyd, who wrote on social media, “You remainder erstwhile your playing vocation is over. Period.” The setback compounds a challenging tournament for Pulisic, who failed to score throughout the current World Cup cycle. He missed a group‑stage match against Australia because of a calf problem and sat out two other early fixtures, though he did provide two assists in the United States’ group‑stage victory over Paraguay. Team officials noted that, had the Americans advanced, the injury would have ruled him out of further participation. Pulisic, 27, will undergo a joint rehabilitation program overseen by U.S. Soccer and his Serie A club, AC Milan. The club anticipates his return to training in August, in preparation for the season opener against Torino on August 23. *Editorial credit: Fabrizio Andrea Bertani / Shutterstock.com*