​Christian Pulisic, the star forward for the United States, fractured his leg during the Americans’ heavy 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the World Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Thursday. The injury occurred early in the second half of Monday’s match when Pulisic attempted a shot and inadvertently struck the backside of Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans’ leg. Although he tried to continue, he was substituted a few minutes later, shortly after the U.S. fell behind 3-1. Seattle’s heavy loss sealed a disappointing exit for the US from the tournament at the round of 16, marking the second consecutive World Cup elimination at that stage.
In a post on social media, U.S. Soccer confirmed that Pulisic has been diagnosed with a microfracture and a bone bruise to the tibia and fibula in his right leg from the Belgium game. The federation added that it would work with Pulisic’s club, AC Milan, on a coordinated recovery plan.
The defeat to Belgium capped what had begun as a bright US campaign, briefly stoking hopes of a surprise home World Cup run for American fans. Pulisic—undoubtedly the team’s most recognizable player—had been singled out by former US players for leaving the field prematurely, inviting criticism. Notably, Landon Donovan, speaking on a podcast, vented his frustration with the decision to substitute the captain, saying he would have resisted the move “to drag me off the field” and, in a colorful aside, claiming he would have confronted any doctor who tried to pull him off.
US Soccer did not provide a precise recovery timeline, but given the injury’s nature, Pulisic would not have been available for potential later rounds even if the United States had advanced. The Athletic cited sources indicating that Pulisic could miss several weeks but not months. Milan’s campaign in Serie A is set to begin on August 23, marking a clear window for rehab and rehabilitation planning between club and country. The situation leaves a question mark over his readiness for the start of Milan’s season, as well as how soon he might be able to rejoin the US team for future international duty.