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Pulisic Sidelined 4-6 Weeks After Belgium Defeat

7/10/2026

48 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Sources confirmed Christian Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture in his lower leg, needing a four-to-six-week recovery.
He left the United States' 4-1 round-of-16 loss to Belgium in Seattle at the 59th minute after injuring his right ankle and knee.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino said he hopes Pulisic can return to AC Milan soon.
Pulisic posted on Instagram that he was grateful for fan support and called the loss disappointing.

History

Historical Context

In the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Brazil lost striker Ronaldo to a knee injury, forcing him to miss two of Brazil’s seven matches and sparking controversy over his late reinstatement. Four decades later, United States forward Christian Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture in the 2022 round-of-16, sidelining him for weeks and highlighting how star absences can reshape national-team fortunes.

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Story summary

Sources confirmed Christian Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture in his lower leg, needing a four-to-six-week recovery.
He left the United States' 4-1 round-of-16 loss to Belgium in Seattle at the 59th minute after injuring his right ankle and knee.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino said he hopes Pulisic can return to AC Milan soon.
Pulisic posted on Instagram that he was grateful for fan support and called the loss disappointing.

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