Last year, while roaming the halls of the San Siro, we asked many AC Milan fans about Christian Pulisic’s first season with the club. While the Milan faithful were impressed, they were demanding a bit more from the American winger in “big games.” Pulisic has since delivered in spades.
American soccer fans love Christian Pulisic. Throughout his rise to prominence, the United States men’s national team faithful hasn’t been shy about their feelings for their talisman. And this praise has continued to grow during his breakout 2024-25 season. But what about fans in Italy, where Pulisic is currently one of the few bright spots in an otherwise turbulent season for AC Milan?
I had a chance to attend a match at the San Siro in May 2024, when Milan was far off the Serie A title chase and playing out Stefano Pioli’s fleeting moments as manager. The match, a 3-3 draw to Genoa, featured an exciting yet disappointing performance by Milan.
Pulisic, however, had a very active game, dribbling, shooting, and providing an assist. His popularity was obvious amongst the home crowd as well. The No. 11 jersey was ubiquitous in the stands, and he received some of the loudest cheers during the lineup announcement before kickoff. He was even the phone wallpaper for many of the younger fans as well.
While many fans were impressed by the way Pulisic had integrated with the team and the quality he demonstrated in his first season, some pointed out that he still needed to deliver more in “big games.”
Giuseppe Broli, 54, a fan seated just above the Curva Sud, told me, “Look, (Pulisic) has a lot of traits. I think he gets cold at times, he doesn’t rise to the occasion against big clubs — Inter, Juve, Roma. That’s what Pulisic needs to do next season.”
Well, Mr. Broli, I think Captain America has delivered just that in his second season.
Christian Pulisic: Now a Leader and Big-Game Player
Pulisic’s season has been outstanding, with 10 goals and six assists in 22 matches across four competitions. His most recent performances were particularly impressive: two goals in two games in the Supercoppa Italiana, with both goals coming against Juventus and Inter Milan. These goals helped secure Pulisic’s first title with AC Milan, and he performed especially well considering he had just recovered from an injury.
When it comes to his most important games this season, Pulisic has contributed seven goals and four assists in 15 matches against top-level opponents for club and country. Notable goals include strikes against Liverpool and Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League, along with a vital assist against Real Madrid.
In Serie A, Pulisic has provided either a goal or an assist against Lazio, Inter, Fiorentina, and Udinese.
On the national team front, he scored two goals against Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League, as well as providing an assist in both legs to help the USMNT reach yet another Nations League semifinal.
At one point during the Serie A season, Pulisic assisted or scored in seven consecutive games. While he missed his last three Serie A matches due to injury, he looks set to return and take on the second half of the season, starting with a matchup against Cagliari — the team he would score twice against just a week after I visited the San Siro.
A Career Season
Pulisic, arguably the best player the United States has ever produced, is well on his way to having the best season of his career, given the level of competition he’s faced and the high-profile opponents he’s scored against.
His Serie A journey has seen him accumulate 25 goals and 17 assists in 76 matches — just one goal shy of matching the number he scored during his time at Chelsea, despite playing nearly half the number of games.
Winning also helps. Pulisic secured his first major trophy with AC Milan, and while he has played under three different managers at the club, the team is hoping that under Sérgio Conceição, Milan can finally live up to the potential of its talented squad.
Although this may not be the best side Milan has ever seen, the team boasts star players like Pulisic, Rafael Leão, Tijjani Reijnders, and Théo Hernandez — players around whom the team can build.
With rumors circulating that AC Milan is planning to offer Pulisic a new contract that could extend until 2030, the American looks poised to be a key contributor for the club for years to come. Despite interest from the Premier League, the situation seems favorable for Pulisic to remain at Milan. Today, the best player on the USMNT has finally found a home — a place to shine. For Milan fans, they are simply in love with their “Puli, Puli, Sic, Sic.”
