Fox analyst claims Christian Pulisic criticism is healthy and slams US star for making sure injury news ‘got out’

Christian Pulisic suffered a microfracture and bone bruise in his leg as the United States crashed out of the World Cup.

But he won’t be getting any sympathy from Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd, despite the nasty injury revealed on Thursday.

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The USMNT lost 4-1 to Belgium in the last 16 on Monday, and in the days since, Pulisic has faced tough criticism from US soccer legends.

He had a World Cup to forget, and failed to make much of an impact on the field, before being hooked in the 59th minute of a humbling defeat to aging European opposition.

In the aftermath, Landon Donovan ripped Pulisic for failing to turn up on the big stage, and questioned why he didn’t put up more of a fight to stay on the pitch.

“You would’ve had to f****** drag me off the field,” he said.

“And I would’ve punched the doctor in the face and said, ‘You’re not taking me off the field. Put whatever you need to put in me, and I’m staying on the field.’ I couldn’t believe he didn’t stay in.”

Carli Lloyd, a two-time World Cup winner with the USWNT, also questioned Pulisic’s commitment.

And according to Cowherd, the criticism around ‘Captain America’ has actually been a good thing for US soccer.

He wasn’t, though, a fan of Pulisic ‘making sure’ everyone knew he was injured.

Fox Sports analyst claims Christian Pulisic outrage ‘healthy’

“The knives are out,” Cowherd began, speaking on his show The Herd.

“Pulisic making sure everybody hears that he’s injured. It is just fantastic. This is what happens in England when you don’t get it done at the World Cup.

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“It’s what happens in Brazil and Argentina. I’ll tell you, we’ve arrived. We’re beating up on Christian Pulisic.

“I’ll be the first one to say it: It’s healthy. We crush Caleb Williams. We crush Patrick Mahomes. We crush Joe Burrow.”

After comparing Pulisic to the biggest names in the NFL, Cowherd added that the injury news was likely shared in an attempt to soften the criticism.

He continued: “Oh, Christian Pulisic’s getting criticized? Pulisic’s people made sure this got out today. Pulisic suffered a bone bruise, microfracture.

“Nobody’s denying he’s hurt, but before the injury there was disappointment. Do I think if Christian Pulisic scored seven goals in the World Cup, that this would come out? No I don’t.

“But Pulisic has been our best soccer player arguably in the country for six, seven years. Four-time player of the year, and maybe our best ever.

“So this is part and parcel of what happens if you go to a World Cup and you’re on no-show.

“Remember, before the injury we were greatly disappointed. And because our soccer media is a little soft and precious, and too often panders like our NBA media too often does, it’s taken actual soccer players to lower the boom.”

US soccer icon refuses to apologize for Christian Pulisic comments

As Cowherd points out, former American players are leading the criticism of Pulisic’s performances.

Following the injury news, a number of fans took to social media to demand Lloyd apologize for comments she made postgame, in which she expressed ‘disappointment’ over the forward’s effort.

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Lloyd, though, is in no mood to back down.

“I don’t owe anyone an apology,” she wrote, firing back.

“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.”

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In crashing out of the World Cup, Pulisic has found himself facing the kind of backlash usually aimed at quarterbacks after poor performances.

But as Cowherd points out, that isn’t necessarily a negative.

Mahomes, Williams and Burrow are three of the biggest names in American sports, and if Pulisic is getting the same treatment, it means soccer is starting to make an impact on the level of the NFL.

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