Christian Pulisic has started the 2025-26 season in red hot form, continuing the trend from his first two seasons at AC Milan.
MilanNews asks the question: what kind of player has Christian Pulisic become? The question is rhetorical, and one simple word would suffice to answer: star. However, their report picks out three words that could be used to describe the American.
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Decisive
There is no player at Milan, nor in Serie A, who numerically is more decisive than Christian Pulisic. This is a fact: he is the first to have reached at least 25 goals and 15 assists in Serie A in the last three seasons.
After six official games played in this new season, he has already scored five goals, two in the Coppa Italia and three in the league. This is his best start ever, surpassing last year’s record of four goals in six games. Consistency and productivity.
Versatile
Pulisic’s beauty lies not only in the goals and assists he produces every Sunday, but also in his great selflessness in interpreting any role he’s assigned. Over the past three years, he’s played just about everywhere in the attack, from winger to attacking midfielder to false nine.
In the past, in certain situations, he’s also been deployed as a midfielder or full-back, always putting himself at the team’s service. But it’s not just about his position on the pitch, but also his ability to be decisive in any situation, with two goals coming off the bench already in 2025-26.
Leader
In the post-match interview after the win over Lecce, Pulisic was asked about Santiago Gimenez who ended his scoring drought: “I always tell him to be patient because he’s played very well in the last few games. If he continues like this, he’ll score a lot of goals.”
In general, despite being a quiet type, he is followed by all his team-mates who know they can count on him on and off the pitch. Even the detail of having learned Italian, and speaking it very well since his first season, is an aspect that is part of building a leadership position.
Furthermore, despite the competition and some games where he unexpectedly started on the bench, Pulisic never lost his composure, always showing a very professional attitude. Now, Milan must surely be thinking about a renewal.
He is strong Mentally. His playing experience at Dortmund and Chelsea has made him a better player for Milan.
Puli is and has been clutch. Of late we have had few players like that. 20mil well spent. Now the management just had to make You’re not to lose him. And that requires a winning project. Otherwise he’s out.
More than anything else… Reliable
I would include “instinctive”. It takes a student of the game to move to the open spaces, continue the run to clear out defenders, not be off-sides, etc. His football IQ is what separates him from players who are taller, stronger, faster. What a role model for younger teammates on what it takes to be a professional footballer.
Correct, regarding IQ.
On his most recent goal v Lecce. CP made his marker believe he was on his outside hip, behind. The defender relaxed and waited on the ball, but Puli cut inside him, beat him to the ball. The defender was shocked. ole!
Completely agree $Bill. I have long believed that the time spent with Frank Lampard at Chelsea is what really made a difference for Pulisic. His knack for being in the right place at the right time is off the charts- just like Lampard as a player.
People seem to forget that this man has a UCL winner’s medal, and in the semis of that year’s competition, he scored one goal and asissted another in the semi–finals, against some club called “REAL MADRID,” for a 3-2 tie win.
Pulisic’s first year with Chelsea was actually quite successful, but unfortunately, the FA Cup Final that year epitomised his time at Chelsea. CP11 scored the first goal of the match, and late in the first half, he broke free from the center line to go one-on-one with the keeper from 50 yards out, but when he was about ten yards from the box, he pulled-up lame with a major hamstring injury. He still ran three more steps and TRIED to get a shot off, but it went wide and he was injured for three months.
No glory, just injury.
Best regards, all!
He’s been written off ever since he arrived. First, many here were certain Chukwueze would start and Puli would come off the bench. Then, many here were certain he wouldn’t fit in Allegri’s system and would be gone. And then, of course, we all remember the systematic underrating of Puli by this site in the player ratings. Lately, they’ve been more complimentary, as this article shows. But it’s because his play gives them no choice. He has forced their hand.
In fact, I predicted even before he officially joined that he would be better than Díaz — at the very least, an upgraded version of Díaz — and now it’s clear that he is far superior to Díaz.
Leão is our most talented player, Puli is our most productive player. Can’t wait to see them both healthy together this season 🔴⚫
“Over the past three years, he’s played just about everywhere in the attack, from winger to attacking midfielder to false nine.”
Yet the super-experts on the comments section say he’ll be bench because he doesn’t fit into Allegri’s system. 😀 😀 😀 😀
You really can’t make this sh1t up. 😀 😀 😀
Haha, the so-called experts in the comments section always try to be contrarian and come up with the most hilarious takes — even when they think they sound professional.
Yes, it is because people don’t understand football. In the same way Leao doesn’t have a place in this team because there isn’t a LW. What will he do? This is the same idea as it was around Pulisic. They saw him play on the wings and if we have no wingers he is on the bench. And Pulisic is by far the best finisher Milan has, and HAS TO PLAY in attack. not on the wing.
” In the same way Leao doesn’t have a place in this team because there isn’t a LW. ”
But he’s marked as a LW in video games so he MUST be played there, right? 😀
I have been saying Pulisic is not a winger and that is a waste of his talent. Finally he is playing closer to the goal. I don’t understand how did a single manager Milan had before not notice that Pulisic isn’t a proper winger, more of a second striker type of player. Yes, he does good from RW or LW but put him on SS. I predict 20-30 goals for him this season, he’ll double his output.
Puli had been held back at Dortmund, when Tuchel tried to use him mainly as substitute or said he was too young.
He was held back at Chelsea because he was an American. Pulisic understands that he is not European and will never be appreciated as a top European player. Tuchel promised to start him in the Champions League Final because of his goal against Real Madrid that enabled Chelsea to reach the final. Tuchel reneged on his promise and Pulisic didn’t start.
Pulisic never forgave Tuchel. It is up to Allegri to keep Pulisic satisfied. If Allegri is reasonable about the playing time afforded Pulisic, there should be no major problem.