New Christian Pulisic Injury Raises Fresh Concerns Ahead of 2026 World Cup

The American is struggling for form and fitness at the minute.

Christian Pulisic missed out on Milan’s trip to Bologna. | Giuseppe Cottini/AC Milan/Getty Images

U.S. men’s national team talisman Christian Pulisic is back in the infirmary, this time with a case of bursitis, putting another damper on his road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri confirmed the injury ahead of the Rossoneri’s trip to Bologna on Tuesday, one the team made without Pulisic. The manager was hopeful the issue is not serious, though, and remained optimistic the American winger will be “back on track in the coming days.”

Bursitis is an inflammation of fluid-filled sacs near joints, and Pulisic’s is near his hip, per The Athletic. The club will have to wait and see how the 27-year-old progresses throughout the week before making a decision on his participation in Friday’s clash with Pisa.

Until then, Milan must get by without one of their best players for a must-win match against Bologna to keep the pressure on league-leaders Inter. A victory on Tuesday puts Allegri’s men just five points off their bitter rivals atop the table.

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Pulisic’s Past Hampered by Injuries

Much of Christian Pulisic’s time at Chelsea was marred by injury. | Chris Lee/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Pulisic is no stranger to extended spells on the sidelines. In his final two seasons at Chelsea alone, the forward suffered five different injuries, keeping him out of action for months at a time.

Pulisic missed the first two and a half months of the 2020–21 season due to a hamstring injury. He returned in October, only to retreat back to the infirmary in November for just under a month due to a muscle issue.

The 2021–22 season got off to an eerily similar start; Pulisic suffered an ankle injury in early September and did not return until Halloween. Fast forward to his final campaign in a blue shirt, and the American star missed another two months due to a knee problem.

Pulisic managed to avoid any more lengthy and recurring issues upon his move to Milan ... until 2025–26. The USMNT captain suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty in October that kept him sidelined for about 25 days. Since then, his fitness has been in constant flux, forcing him to miss one-off games or be limited to a substitute role over the last two months.

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Pulisic Injury History

Season	Injuries	Games Missed
2015–16	1	0
2016–17	1	1
2017–18	7	5
2018–19	5	14
2019–20	5	16
2020–21	4	14
2021–22	3	18
2022–23	1	12
2023–24	2	3
2024–25	2	6
2025–26	3	5

Stats via Transfermarkt.

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The USMNT Cannot Afford an Injury-Ridden Pulisic at the 2026 World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino needs Christian Pulisic fit and at his best this summer. | John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

Anything but a clean bill of health for Pulisic spells trouble for the Stars and Stripes. If Mauricio Pochettino’s men want to impress on home soil this summer at the 2026 World Cup, they need their best player leading the way.

Sure, the USMNT got by at last summer’s Gold Cup, and even secured victories against Paraguay and Uruguay during the November international window while Pulisic remained in Milan. But winning World Cup matches is an entirely different beast, one that the team needs its talisman to conquer.

Should Pulisic suffer another long-term problem in the build-up to the tournament, he would then be thrust onto the grandest stage in the sport without the idyllic preparation he or his manager would like. Not only would his match fitness be a concern, but his form as well.

Since suffering a hamstring injury in October, Pulisic’s career-best start to the 2025–26 season is nothing more than a distant memory. The ex-Chelsea man has found the back of the net just four times since returning, and all four of those goals came before the calendar flipped to 2026.

In the new year, Pulisic has failed to register a single goal contribution in five appearances. A trip back to the infirmary amid such a slump is yet another setback, and if problems keep building up, the 27-year-old could find himself lacking form and fitness come time for the World Cup.

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