Christian Pulisic is likely in the best form of his career. The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) star joined the Serie A club AC Milan this summer, and his performance has been nothing short of dominant.
Since joining Milan, Pulisic has netted four goals for the Italian club, the most recent of which being a match-winner in the 87th minute vs. Genoa C.F.C. last weekend. This tied Pulisic for first on the team’s top scoring list so far this season. Additionally, Pulisic has recorded an average of about four progressive carries and four touches in the penalty area per 90 minutes, with 89 percent of his shots this season having been on target.
Milan’s talent is sure to keep Pulisic in form and push him to become even better.
The move to Milan marks a new era for Pulisic after his career stalled with his previous club, Chelsea F.C., in the English Premier League. The Hershey, PA native had some great moments with Chelsea, including an unforgettable hat-trick, a spectacular run during the pandemic and winning the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League. However, Chelsea was the source of a lot of difficulty for Pulisic.
For one, Pulisic was extremely injury-prone during his four-year stint with the Blues, missing over 50 games. This, combined with Chelsea’s skilled and high-budget roster, made it difficult for the USMNT star to see consistent playing time. Pulisic was also regularly playing in positions other than his preferred left wing spot, which made it difficult for him to get into a consistent groove.
Many fans of Pulisic place the blame on former Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel, who they claim played him unfairly and even expressed anti-American bias in favor of Chelsea’s German-national players. Some of these claims are admittedly a bit exaggerated, but there is a strong case to be made that Chelsea’s management made it difficult for Pulisic to prosper.
Milan is a complete 180 from these setbacks. So far, Pulisic has been in the starting 11 in the majority of matches for the Rossoneri, allowing him to have a greater impact on the game and reach his full potential. Milan’s manager, Stefano Pioli, is also a big believer in Pulisic’s skills, which he made evident over the summer when he said “I always knew Pulisic was a talent, this was never in doubt.”
Pulisic is also playing alongside strong offensive players such as Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud, the latter of which he has superb chemistry with. Milan’s talent is sure to keep Pulisic in form and push him to become even better.
As the season goes on, we’re starting to see more and more how Milan was the right choice for Pulisic coming off of a productive World Cup cycle. “Captain America,” as Pulisic has been dubbed by fans, has deservedly become the face of soccer in the United States in the past five years or so, which culminated with his leadership in bringing the USMNT to the knockout stage in the 2022 World Cup. It’s truly a relief to see Pulisic reach this same potential at Milan.
Needless to say, the future of Pulisic’s career is bright once again after his time with Chelsea. With a four-year deal with Milan and an option for a fifth, we can expect to see a continued high level of play from Pulisic, hopefully capped off by many trophies and accolades to come.
jlaforg2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @USMNT, X
