Pulisic's injury clouds USMNT hopes after Belgium clash

The decisive moment arrived in the 52nd minute when Christian Pulisic collided with the back of Youri Tielemans’ foot, sustaining a bone bruise and a microfracture. The USMNT forward fell to the ground, visibly in pain, as Belgium pressed on.

The incident occurred during the United States' 4-1 defeat to Belgium on Monday, a 2026 World Cup Round of 16 encounter, as reported by The Athletic. The loss marked a harsh exit for the U.S. side in the tournament.

Pulisic tried to continue playing after the contact, but the severity of the injury was clear. Seven minutes later he was substituted for Sebastian Berhalter. The collision happened outside the Belgium penalty area as he wound up for a shot.

A tweet on July 7, 2026 captured Pulisic receiving treatment on the bench, looking upset. He later said, "I just totally twisted my ankle and my knee in one play," adding, "I mean, whatever. I have time to rest. It's just unfortunate way to finish."

Further evaluation confirmed a bone bruise and a microfracture of the tibia/fibula for the 27‑year‑old. He is expected to miss several weeks and could return just before AC Milan begins its Serie A schedule on August 23.

Reflecting on the setback, Pulisic said, "I'm disappointed with myself, of course, but I'm going to try to stay positive. I did a lot of good things and the team did as well."