Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 10

Greg Vanney Blames USA's World Cup Exit on Naivete, Says Pulisic Struggled After 1 Injury

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 10

Greg Vanney Blames USA's World Cup Exit on Naivete, Says Pulisic Struggled After 1 Injury

Q: How will Christian Pulisic’s severe World Cup injury affect his role under AC Milan's new coach?

Christian Pulisic’s World Cup injury is likely to delay, not derail, his role under new AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim. The immediate impact is practical: Pulisic’s microfracture and bone bruise in his right leg, suffered against Belgium, is expected to keep him out for several weeks and make him unavailable for the start of Milan’s preseason. That matters because preseason is when Amorim will introduce his system, assess players up close and build attacking relationships. Missing that period leaves Pulisic playing catch-up on fitness, tactics and chemistry. Even so, the broader outlook remains positive for him. Reporting around Milan indicates Amorim still sees Pulisic as an important piece and wants to use him prominently, including as an inverted winger on the left. So the injury should affect his timing more than his standing. If he returns in August as expected, he could still resume training before Milan’s Serie A opener on Aug. 23. The bigger concern is short-term sharpness. Greg Vanney noted that Pulisic’s World Cup was already disrupted by an earlier calf injury, which prevented him from finding rhythm as the tournament intensified. That means he will arrive at Milan after a summer in which he has had little sustained match flow. So, under Amorim, Pulisic is still expected to have a major role, but his severe World Cup injury will likely postpone his full integration and may limit his influence at the very start of the season.

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 10

Greg Vanney said the United States entered its Round of 16 loss to Belgium "entirely too naive," arguing the team fell behind early and never recovered its rhythm against elite opposition.
Pulisic's tournament unraveled after an injury in the opening match, Vanney said, leaving the U.S. star unable to regain form or reconnect with the system as the competition intensified.
Belgium, which eliminated the U.S. on July 6, trained later Thursday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson ahead of Friday's quarterfinal against Spain.
That session was moved at the last minute after FIFA approved a switch from Loyola Marymount University, where extreme heat and heavy use had damaged the turf and raised injury concerns.

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Fox News2h ago

LA Galaxy Coach Greg Vanney Assesses Team USA World Cup Exit, Christian Pulisic Struggles

Greg Vanney Blames USA's World Cup Exit on Naivete, Says Pulisic Struggled After 1 Injury

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