Christian Pulisic didn't just have a bad World Cup — he left it with a microfracture in his tibia/fibula after inadvertently kicking Youri Tielemans's leg during the USMNT's 4-1 defeat to Belgium. The injury, which also includes a bone bruise, would have ended his tournament regardless of whether the U.S. advanced.
The timeline is the real problem for AC Milan. Pulisic needs "several weeks" off and isn't expected back until mid-to-late August — with Serie A kicking off on August 23. That's not months on the sidelines, but it's enough to strip him of pre-season entirely under a new manager, in a new system, at a club that already has questions about his form.
Amorim walks into a difficult situation
Ruben Amorim, who left Manchester United for the Milan job this summer, has been publicly bullish about Pulisic. "He is a player who can make the difference," Amorim said. "I believe in him, he will be supported in our club. We have a clear plan to use all the qualities that he has."
That's a manager doing what managers do — protecting a player under fire. And Pulisic is very much under fire. He hasn't scored for Milan since December 2025. His only goal of the calendar year came in a May friendly against Senegal. For a player who skipped the 2025 Gold Cup specifically to rest and peak for the World Cup and the season ahead, the return has been deeply underwhelming.
Now he goes into a new era at San Siro having missed pre-season, carrying physical damage, and trailing a wave of criticism from USMNT fans who didn't love what they heard from him after the Belgium defeat.
The comment that made things worse
When asked about his injury at full-time, Pulisic said: "It's just frustrating to end like that, of course, but now I have time to rest, so hopefully it'll be OK."
Even with the microfracture now confirmed, former U.S. soccer figures have continued to blast him — for his performances across the tournament, not just the post-match words. The severity of the injury hasn't quieted many of his critics.
For Milan's odds of challenging in Serie A, a Pulisic who arrives late, undercooked, and carrying baggage from a difficult summer is a meaningful variable. Amorim inherits a squad already mid-rebuild. He doesn't need his most recognizable attacking name starting the season on the treatment table.
"I know he had some criticism after the World Cup elimination," Amorim said. That may be the understatement of the summer.
