Christian Pulisic, the US men's national team forward, has suffered a microfracture in his right lower leg during the World Cup loss to Belgium. The injury occurred in the 52nd minute of the game, when Pulisic kicked the back of Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans' calf, resulting in a twist to his ankle and knee.
What Happened?
Pulisic's leg seemed to go from right to wrong in the 52nd minute of the game against Belgium. At the time, the U.S. was trailing only 2-1, still within striking distance for the USMNT's main striker. But when Pulisic took a shot at the edge of the penalty box, he ended up kicking the back of Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans' calf. That resulted in basically a kick to Pulisic's shins or shin. The resulting force led to a twist in Pulisic's ankle and knee and thus his fortunes. Pulisic fell to the turf for a short bit. But after he got up and tried to continue playing, it was clear that his right leg injury had left him hobbled and in pain. Seven minutes of game time later, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino apparently decided that Pulisic was not right and sent in Sebastian Berhalter as a replacement. Soon thereafter, Belgium tallied its third goal after U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese made a big oopsy.
What Is The Bone Bruise And Microfracture That Pulisic Suffered?
A bone bruise, otherwise known as a bone contusion, is when some kind of trauma damages the small blood vessels that supply blood to a bone. Blood and fluid then leaks out and pools in the bone. The bone then reacts with inflammation. Symptoms can include pain, tenderness, swelling and stiffness in the affected area. Treatment of a bone bruise is basically RICE. No, not the stuff that is at the bottom of your bibimbap but rest, ice, compression and elevation. It can take anywhere from four weeks to a few months to fully heal from a bone bruise, depending on its location and severity. A microfracture is a term used to describe—not surprisingly—a very small, hairline crack in a bone. That's because “micro” means very small, as in microscope.
Why It Matters For Christian Pulisic
Pulisic's injury has sparked criticism from former Team USA players. Carli Lloyd, winner of two World Cups with the U.S. women's national team, said that she “was a bit disappointed in Christian Pulisic” and X’d Pulisic’s statement with this on X: “You rest when your playing career is over, Period.” Meanwhile, Landon Donovan, a veteran of three World Cups for the USMNT, indicated the following on his “Unfiltered” podcast this week: "I speak to people who are at U.S. Soccer, I speak to his sponsors, I speak to his teammates, I speak to the staff and the coaches. People are fed up with the way things are handled around him." Speaking of unfiltered, Donovan also noted about Pulisic's injury situation, “You would have had to f***ing drag me off the field.”
What Comes Next?
The USMNT will have to regroup and reassess their strategy without Pulisic, who will likely miss the next few games due to his injury. The team's chances of advancing in the World Cup have been significantly impacted by Pulisic's absence. The USMNT will have to rely on other players to step up and fill the void left by Pulisic's injury.
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