American soccer sensation Christian Pulisic has been diagnosed with a fractured right leg following the United States’ disappointing exit from the World Cup, sidelining the AC Milan star for several weeks during a critical period of his career.
Medical examinations conducted on Tuesday, including X-rays and MRI scans, revealed that Pulisic sustained a bone bruise along with microfractures in both his tibia and fibula. The U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed the diagnosis on Thursday, noting that the injury would have prevented him from continuing in the tournament even if the American squad had advanced past the round of 16.
The injury occurred during the 52nd minute of Monday’s heartbreaking 4-1 defeat to Belgium in Seattle. Pulisic collided with Belgian captain Youri Tielemans while attempting a shot on goal. Despite the painful impact, the determined midfielder initially stayed on the field but was visibly struggling before being substituted by Sebastian Berhalter seven minutes later.
The World Cup proved to be a frustrating tournament for Pulisic, who failed to find the back of the net across the competition. A calf injury forced him to miss one of the team’s five matches, and he was forced to leave two other games early due to physical issues. The 27-year-old, who will turn 28 in September, has accumulated an impressive 30 goals in 90 international appearances throughout his career.
Looking ahead to his club career, Pulisic is expected to recover in time to begin training before AC Milan kicks off their Serie A campaign against Torino on August 23. The upcoming season will mark his fourth year with the Italian giants.
