Former United States captain Carli Lloyd has doubled down on her criticism of Christian Pulisic, insisting she has nothing to apologise for despite confirmation the USMNT star suffered a serious leg injury during his side’s World Cup exit.
Pulisic was substituted during the United States’ defeat to Belgium in Seattle after an ineffective display in which he surrendered possession 11 times.
Following the match, US Soccer confirmed the AC Milan winger had sustained a bone bruise and a microfracture in his lower leg, an injury expected to keep him sidelined for several weeks.
Despite the diagnosis, Lloyd says her comments were aimed at the wider culture surrounding the US men’s national team rather than Pulisic’s injury.
Social media criticism
The controversy erupted after Pulisic said following the defeat that he would now have “time to rest” while recovering.
Lloyd, a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner, responded on social media by writing:
“You rest when your playing career is over. Period.”
The post sparked widespread criticism from supporters, many of whom accused the former midfielder of being insensitive given the extent of Pulisic’s injury.
However, Lloyd has refused to backtrack.
Responding to one fan on X who suggested she should apologise, she wrote:
“I don’t owe anyone an apology.
“My comment wasn’t about his post-game interview. 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.”
Wider concerns over USMNT
Lloyd has since clarified that her frustration is directed at what she believes is a broader issue within the US men’s national team, arguing that standards and accountability have slipped.
She said her criticism was intended to highlight concerns over the squad’s mentality rather than to single out Pulisic personally.
The United States’ disappointing World Cup campaign has prompted widespread scrutiny of the team’s performances, leadership and direction, with several former players and pundits calling for significant changes ahead of the nation’s next major international tournament.
Injury blow for Pulisic
Pulisic entered the World Cup after an inconsistent second half of the club season with AC Milan.
Although he scored in a pre-tournament friendly against Senegal, he struggled to make an impact during the tournament, registering just one assist before suffering the injury that ended his campaign.
US Soccer has confirmed the injury will be managed conservatively, with surgery not currently expected. Recovery is likely to keep the 27-year-old out of action for several weeks.
