USMNT crashed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a painful 4-1 Round of 16 defeat, but the final whistle was only the beginning of the storm. As frustration spread across the country, Christian Pulisic found himself at the center of fierce criticism after leaving the match with an injury before saying he would now have time to “rest.” The remark ignited outrage, with former USWNT captain and two-time World Cup winner Carli Lloyd leading the chorus of disapproval.

Well, the Champions League winner told the media that he had twisted his knee and ankle, which forced him to leave the pitch in the 59th minute. In fact, following the 27-year-old’s claims, Lloyd went on social media and wrote: “You rest when your playing career is over. Period.”

However, the reality is far from what Pulisic claimed. Despite knowing the truth, Lloyd doesn’t feel the urge to apologize to the star striker. A fan tagged Carli in a tweet that gave Pulisic’s injury report.

The fan wrote: “@CarliLloyd waiting for apology now, you went overboard on one of the greatest Americans to play this game. Champions League winner, etc. You owe him a direct apology.

“I don’t owe anyone an apology. My comment wasn’t about his post-game interview.” Lloyd responded, “He skipped Gold Cup last summer because he wanted to rest and be ready for WC. He ended up resting the whole year. That’s the facts. Nothing personal against him.”

Lloyd was clearly unhappy with the USMNT’s performance against Belgium in the Round of 16 face-off. But she aimed her heat towards Pulisic a few days ago.

“I gotta be honest, I was a bit disappointed with Christian Pulisic,” she gave her brutal verdict. “Whether he wants to be the star of this team or not, we didn’t see enough from him in this particular game and, really, the whole World Cup. Little glimpses here or there.”

At the same time, Carli Lloyd believed the men’s team looked mentally defeated before kickoff, lacking the belief and composure needed for a match of that magnitude. In her view, the players appeared hesitant. They struggled to keep possession and never imposed themselves on the game. Therefore, she also questioned why the team’s biggest stars failed to rise to the occasion when the pressure was at its highest.

Undoubtedly, the legend’s concerns and questions are not misplaced. However, all fingers point to Christian Pulisic. And that might seem a bit too much for many. But maybe that’s the price one pays for being the face of the team for years. Besides, as mentioned before, Pulisic’s injury is far from what he claimed before the media.

Christian Pulisic’s injury update

Pulisic is expected to be sidelined for several weeks after sustaining a bone bruise and a microfracture in his right leg during the United States’ Round of 16 defeat to Belgium at the World Cup. However, according to The Athletic, the 27-year-old could return to training in time for AC Milan’s Serie A opener against Torino on August 23, with the injury not expected to delay his comeback beyond that point.

The injury came in the 54th minute with the USMNT trailing 2-1 in Seattle. Christian Pulisic tried to shoot from the edge of the 18-yard box, but Belgium captain Youri Tielemans stepped across, causing the American to strike his foot instead. Although Pulisic briefly carried on after treatment, he was clearly struggling.

Pulisic and coach Mauricio Pochettino agreed to substitute the striker. However, that decision unleashed unforeseen criticism from fans and legends like Carli Lloyd. And now, he will miss weeks of training ahead of the club season due to his injuries.