U.S. forward Christian Pulisic suffered a microfracture and bone bruise in his right leg during the United States' 4-1 defeat by Belgium in the World Cup round of 16. The injury occurred in the 52nd minute when Pulisic collided with Belgium captain Youri Tielemans while attempting a shot. He was replaced in the 59th minute and will be sidelined for several weeks, according to the U.S. Soccer Federation.
Pulisic's recovery plan will be coordinated between U.S. Soccer and his club, AC Milan, though no specific timeline has been provided. The injury adds to Pulisic's tournament struggles, as he had previously missed one match due to a calf injury and left two others early.
Meanwhile, Belgium's World Cup preparations have been overshadowed by a dispute over training facilities in Los Angeles. The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) complained that the pitch at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) did not meet minimum standards, prompting FIFA to relocate the team to LA Galaxy's training ground. LMU disputed the assessment, stating its field was in top condition and had hosted professional teams.
The controversy follows Belgium's frustration over FIFA's decision to overturn Folarin Balogun's red card suspension, which allowed him to play in the U.S.-Belgium match. The decision was influenced by a call from U.S. President Donald Trump, who defended his intervention.