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When Christian Pulisic stepped onto the pitch at halftime for AC Milan on Saturday, he came out with an unmistakable sense of purpose.
The Serie A clash with Lazio marked Pulisic's first appearance of the season, arriving more than three weeks into the new campaign—the 27-year-old was reportedly "upset" it had taken this long, according to new head coach Ruben Amorim.
It was also his first outing since the U.S. men's national team's crushing elimination by Belgium in the World Cup round of 16 this summer, a 4–1 defeat in which Pulisic was forced off before the 60-minute mark with a completely preventable injury. The loss of their key player—who inadvertently kicked his opponent's ankle rather than the ball—was not only the final blow in a humiliating end to an otherwise remarkable run, but perhaps a fitting symbol for the difficult year the star winger had endured up to that point.
Pulisic, who left the tournament with only a bone bruise and micro-fracture in his leg, had entered the World Cup in the worst form of his career, failing to score in 19 matches with Milan stretching back to 2025. He then accumulated more injuries (two) than goal contributions (one) during a summer when American supporters had expected him to shine as a hero. It's safe to say Pulisic has had a point to prove for some time—a long and difficult journey he may have just set in motion this past weekend.
Pulisic Dazzles in Season Debut
Pulisic had recovered from his injury ahead of the Rossoneri's season opener on Aug. 23; however, he remained unused on the bench across the first three Serie A fixtures, with 19-year-old Alphadjo Cissè taking his spot on the wing.
"I'm managing him," Amorim said of Pulisic following the initial benching. "For now, Alpha is taking his place ... We're still managing the minutes of some players and trying to win the match. Sometimes it's not just the technical and tactical aspects, it's also the physical aspect."
By the third consecutive benching, friction had begun to build between the former Manchester United boss and his winger. "Pulisic is upset at the moment because he has zero minutes, and I love that," Amorim said on Friday. "I love that in my players."
Yet that burning desire wasn't enough to automatically secure Pulisic a starting berth in Milan's fourth league outing against Lazio. "It doesn't matter if you are a top player, I don't take [out] all the other guys who are doing well to put in any player in the world," Amorim added. "That is my way of living."
Yet Pulisic's impressive showing on Saturday may be enough to shift Amorim's thinking.
Pulisic was a dynamic presence throughout the half and needed just 20 minutes to leave his mark on the game. The right winger sparked the move for Milan's opening goal with a clever back-heel pass to teammate Samuel Chukwueze in midfield, before bursting into the final third. He received the ball back just inside the penalty area, then delicately chipped it to the back post for an oncoming Diego Moreira, who finished it off.
Diego Moreira goes BACK-TO-BACK for Milan 🤯
Brilliant work from Christian Pulisic for the first goal 👌
Watch Serie A on @paramountplus 📺 pic.twitter.com/eZIKPX3P62
Despite his limited time on the pitch, Pulisic finished the night having created the most chances (four) and proved vital in Milan's late comeback, as the match ended in a 2–2 draw.
Pulisic will be eager to replicate that kind of impact on Wednesday in Europa League action against Benfica, ideally from the first whistle.
That said, consistency has been a persistent challenge for the American this year. He delivered a stunning first-half display in the World Cup opener against Paraguay, for instance, only to fade as the tournament progressed.
Whether Pulisic can sustain his momentum and turn his difficult year around remains to be seen.