At AC Milan, Christian is experiencing—in his own words—the best moment of his career, thinking about renewing his contract and becoming a fan favorite. In the US, however, he has been criticized, even by well-known figures such as Lalas, for his “desertion” in recent call-ups. But coach Pochettino can’t do without him.
We haven’t reached the level of the evangelical “nemo propheta in patria” – no one is a prophet in their own land – but one thing is certain: Christian Pulisic’s two football worlds are no longer aligned. At least, not as they were in the past, not as they should theoretically be. Because on the one hand, there is the Milan universe where Christian is – together with Modric and Rabiot – the people’s idol and the backbone of the team, and on the other, there is the stars and stripes galaxy where the nickname Captain America is beginning – not just today, in fact – to create some discontent. It’s creaking a little. His approval rating is falling, partly due to a few absences from the national team that have not gone down well with the American people, who are currently excited about the World Cup on home soil, which is just around the corner.

In this latest round of international fixtures, Pulisic made a clear choice. He chose Milan. He did so essentially because it is a break leading up to the derby and because, after the October break, he returned from the US with a hamstring injury, as part of a management decision by the Stars and Stripes staff that was considered rather questionable at Milanello and elsewhere. This case then led coach Pochettino to defend his own choices and those of the medical staff (“He played against Australia because he felt fine and because all our doctors’ assessments were correct. And the player agreed with us. Milan has no reason to complain”). His exclusion from the squad list for the two friendlies in the US in recent days has obviously pleased the Rossoneri fans because, ahead of the derby, the Diavolo needs to get its striker back. Despite the break, Christian remains the Rossoneri’s top scorer in the league (4) and this season (6, plus 2 assists). He is a striker who does not give away any clues, a player capable of shifting the balance in attack. He is obviously at ease in the Rossoneri shirt, so much so that he stated in recent days that he is “experiencing my best moment in football.” His marriage with Milan is set to continue: in fact, talks will soon resume to extend his contract from 2027 to 2030.

digs—  A happy marriage, that with the Rossoneri. And in the States? Basically, there is no fan in the US who can really argue with Pulisic, but there has certainly been no shortage of criticism in recent times for the player who, at the end of his career, will surely be crowned the best American player of all time. Influential voices in the world of US soccer, such as Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas, have not spared the Milan striker from their barbs, which have inevitably ended up contaminating part of public opinion, especially the most vocal on social media. In the summer, Donovan did not forgive Pulisic for refusing to participate in the Gold Cup, using harsh words that were met with a sharp response from Mark Pulisic, Christian’s father, who called the former captain of the US national team a hypocrite. Alexi Lalas, now a leading commentator on US soccer, did not like the fact that Pulisic was not called up for the November window, going so far as to question his leadership. “I don’t think Christian is the captain this team needs, but the problem is that there are no alternatives,” said the former Padova defender on the State of The Union podcast. Your captain doesn’t necessarily have to be the best player on the team.”
Discontent—  With the World Cup approaching on home soil, Pulisic is paying the price for the ups and downs of a team that still seems to be a work in progress. His absence from the Gold Cup, his return to Italy before the match against archrivals Mexico a year ago, and his failure to be called up for a November window, which was also ‘snubbed’ by several other veterans, have amplified a discontent that seems to be temporary, however. The paradox comes from the fact that what was by far the best performance of the national team in the Pochettino era came without Captain America. The 5-1 victory with which a team full of second-stringers defeated Uruguay on Tuesday evening is not only a good starting point for the World Cup, but also a confidence boost for a team that has certainly not thrilled its fans in recent months. One thing is certain, however, and Pochettino never tires of pointing it out: the US national team cannot do without the talent of the Milan player.