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It's never too late for a fresh start.
23-year-old Yunus Musah is back at AC Milan and appears to have earned the confidence of new head coach Ruben Amorim. He's been handed an opportunity to revive his rocky career, a chance he has already started to take full advantage of.
The American midfielder, once considered the future cornerstone of the U.S. men's national team during his teenage years, has since endured a dramatic decline from the upper echelons of the sport. He went from a standout breakout campaign at La Liga's Valencia at just 19 and earning starts in all four games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, to scrapping for limited playing time at Atalanta and missing the 2026 World Cup on home soil altogether.
He started just five of 38 Serie A matches last season with Atalanta, where he spent the year on loan from Milan, accumulating only 561 total league minutes. By comparison, fellow American midfielder Weston McKennie, who also competes in Serie A for Juventus and shone for the USMNT this past summer, racked up 2,841 league minutes across more than 30 starts.
Musah has not appeared for the Stars and Stripes in over a year, last stepping onto the pitch in March 2025 for a brief substitute appearance in the Concacaf Nations League third-place game against Canada.
His ongoing exclusion from USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino's international setup may stem not only from his reduced club minutes in recent seasons, but also from his choice to withdraw from the Concacaf Gold Cup in the summer of 2025, citing mental and physical exhaustion following his previous campaign with Milan. It was a decision that club teammate and fellow American Christian Pulisic also made, drawing considerable controversy.
Pochettino may be prompted to reassess Musah's role in his plans, however, if the young player continues to perform as he did on Sunday in Milan's season opener. Musah played the full 90 minutes in the 2–1 victory over Torino, apparently earning the trust of the former Manchester United boss to anchor the center of midfield.
Musah played a key role in getting the Rossoneri on the scoresheet just after the hour mark, executing a clever turn in midfield before driving through the center of the pitch. He picked out Adrien Rabiot on the wing, who laid it off to Alphadjo Cissè. Though Cissè finished the chance, Musah had positioned himself inside the six-yard box, ready to convert any rebound if needed.
Nice skill and turn from Musah to open things up leading to Milan's first goal. #USMNT #ACMilan pic.twitter.com/gTCpMMr6go
"There are moments in your career when you need coaches who believe in you, who remember what you've done and what you're capable of. I then repay that trust on the pitch," Musah said after the match.
Luka Modrić made a second-half entrance, coming on for Musah's double pivot partner Ardon Jashari in the 56th minute. As Modrić, who turns 41 next month, gradually builds up his minutes at Milan, it could eat into Musah's playing time. That said, as long as Musah keeps performing consistently, he has a real shot at winning back his place in Pochettino's international thinking.
Yunus Musah on the Pitch, Christian Pulisic on the Bench
While Musah enjoyed a career resurgence on Sunday night, Christian Pulisic is still waiting for his.
The American winger found himself among the substitutes at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, no longer listed as injured but still not quite ready to return to full competitive action.
The 29-year-old USMNT star suffered an unfortunate freak injury during the World Cup round of 16 clash against Belgium in early July, catching the back of his opponent's foot rather than the ball. The incident left him with a bone bruise and a micro-fracture to his tibia/fibula, forcing him to sit out all of Milan's preseason. He returned to training last Tuesday, participating in some speed and agility work during the opening portion of the session.
Pulisic could make his competitive debut for the season when the Rossoneri are back in action on Friday against Venezia. If that happens, he will be eager to make an instant impression, following a disappointing World Cup showing and a career-worst scoreless run last spring.