Christian Pulisic is staring down a serious recovery after scans confirmed a microfracture in his lower leg — the kind of injury that sounds scarier than a typical knock, and frankly, it is. The USMNT and AC Milan star limped off during the World Cup Round of 16 loss to Belgium, and now we know why.
The Athletic and Calciomercato both report that Pulisic has bone bruising and a microfracture of the tibia/fibula. The good news? It’s not a break that requires surgery. The bad news? He’s looking at three to six weeks on the sideline, which puts his availability for the start of the Serie A season in question. Milan opens against Torino on August 23.
Pulisic was spotted on crutches at the team hotel the day after the Belgium game, which immediately set off alarm bells. And for good reason. This isn’t just a tweak or a strain. Microfractures, even the less severe ones, can linger. But sources close to the situation say the timeline might actually lean toward the shorter end of that window, which would get him back for preseason training.
Here’s the part that feels unavoidable: Pulisic hasn’t scored for Milan since December 28. That’s a stretch of 19 competitive matches without a goal. He finished last season with 10 goals and 4 assists in 34 games, but none of those goals came in 2026. His form for both club and country had been slipping before the World Cup, and now he’s got a rehab timeline to manage on top of it.
The World Cup itself wasn’t kind to him. The USMNT hosted alongside Canada and Mexico, and the hope was that Pulisic would finally deliver on the biggest stage at home. Instead, he struggled with fitness and sharpness through the group stage, and the Round of 16 exit to Belgium — a 4-1 loss — ended with him hobbling off. The contrast was brutal. The tournament was supposed to be his moment.
For Milan, this is another headache. They’re already sorting out their summer plans, and losing a key attacker for the opening weeks of the season — even a guy who hasn’t scored in six months — isn’t ideal. But the club has stayed quiet on the exact diagnosis, letting the reports do the talking. The team has not confirmed the specifics beyond what’s leaked out.
Fans online, predictably, have been a mix of worried and frustrated. Some point to his injury history. Others wonder if the pressure of being the face of American soccer has worn him down. But the reality is simpler: he got hurt playing for his country, and now he’s racing the calendar to be ready for August.
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