News, goals, and analysis – only on the official A BOLA app. World Cup Christian Pulisic suffered a bone contusion and a microfracture in his leg during the United States’ defeat to Belgium (1-4) in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, and will face several weeks on the sidelines. The injury to the Milan forward, under Ruben Amorim, occurred in the 52nd minute of Monday’s match, which ended in great disappointment for the home team. While preparing to shoot from the edge of the area, the forward and key figure for the Americans ended up kicking the back of Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans’ leg. After the game, the player described the incident: “I completely twisted my ankle and knee in one play.” Despite the evident pain, Pulisic tried to stay on the field but was eventually substituted by Sebastian Berhalter in the 59th minute, shortly after Belgium scored their third goal. Subsequent medical examinations confirmed the severity of the injury, revealing a bone contusion and a microfracture in the tibia. The day after the game, the Rossoneri player was seen on crutches at the national team’s hotel, confirming that he would not be fit to play if the U.S. had advanced in the tournament. Recovery is estimated for August, which will allow him to be ready for the start of the new Serie A season, with Milan’s first match against Torino on August 23. It is worth noting that the winger had already missed the game against Australia due to a leg injury sustained against Paraguay, in which he provided two assists in the first half. In the previous World Cup in 2022 in Qatar, Pulisic also suffered a pelvic injury while scoring the goal against Iran that qualified the U.S. for the round of 16. After the elimination, Pulisic faced criticism for comments made to Fox. When asked about the injury, he remarked: “It’s frustrating to end like this, of course, but now I have time to rest, so I hope everything will be fine.” His words generated negative reactions from former American football stars, such as Carli Lloyd, who wrote on social media: “You rest when your playing career is over. Period.” Ruben Amorim had already commented on the forward’s situation, praising the American’s talent. “He is perfect for my way of thinking about football, especially here in Italy, where sometimes teams defend so well that there is less space between lines. He is a player who can make a difference in that type of space,” said the Portuguese coach, adding: “I know Pulisic’s strengths, I believe in him, he will be supported at our club.” Despite the criticism Christian Pulisic faced after the World Cup elimination, Milan expresses full support for the player, emphasizing his importance to the team. The North American international’s contract with the Italian club is valid until the end of next season.
Read more in Serie A news. and related tags: Milan, World Cup.