Christian Pulisic is back in the European soccer spotlight and solidifying his status as one of the best American players ever in the UEFA Champions League. USMNT's No. 11 continues to write his success story now with Milan, with the latest chapter coming with a spectacular Olympic goal in the 3-1 victory over Club Brugge. Let's break it down: this decisive moment, the impact Pulisic is having on European soccer, and what this means for the United States on the international stage.
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The Olympic Goal and Milan's Victory
It took until round three of the Champions League group stage, but Milan finally secured their first win in the competition. Playing at the iconic San Siro, home side Milan of Italy defeated Belgium's Club Brugge 3-1 after losing to Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen in the first two matches. But the turning point of the game came from none other than Christian Pulisic, who scored an Olympic goal in the 33rd minute of the first half.
For those who might not know, an Olympic goal is where the player scores a goal directly from a corner kick, with no one else touching the ball, catching the goalkeeper and defense off their guard. That was exactly what Pulisic did, taking advantage of poor positioning from Club Brugge's experienced keeper Mignolet to give Milan the lead. It sent San Siro into bedlam, also a form of release for Milan that had been under pressure up until that point.
That Olympic goal marked Pulisic's seventh of the season across all competitions, in just 11 games, coupled with three assists, and positioned him as one of Milan's most decisive players early in the campaign. Undoubtedly, his performance boosts not only his personal career but also raises the relevance of American players in European soccer.
Christian Pulisic: The Symbol of American Success
On the international scene, Pulisic has been standing out for years to be the main figure of the USMNT. The midfielder has always been considered talented and skillful since his first times with Borussia Dortmund, where he scored his first Champions League goal in September 2018 on his 20th birthday. Nowadays, he is the most scoring American in Champions League history, having scored 10 goals, more than Weston McKennie's five goals and DaMarcus Beasley's four.
Pulisic represents the growth of American soccer, especially if we consider Major League Soccer and the growth of those talents that are reaching Europe. But beyond his technical skills, his great view of the field, Pulisic has one thing few players do: a knack for shining in big moments, which he showed at Chelsea with the Champions League title in 2021 and doing it again at Milan.
Pulisic's Improvement at Milan
Some time has passed since Pulisic signed for Milan, and he gradually began to assert himself as one of the real stars in this side. With seven goals and three assists thus far this season, he is indeed bolstering his status as a basic building block of this squad.
Playing for one of the biggest clubs in Italy and, for that matter, Europe, only raises his profile and levels of expectation, particularly when we think about his role with the United States national team. Every game he plays for Milan is another opportunity to show that American players can, indeed, compete on equal footing with the world's top soccer stars.
Pulisic and the Responsibility of Leading the USMNT
Success on European shores brings with him the responsibility of technical leader to the USMNT. And with the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, that pressure continues to ramp up in every way possible on the No. 11. Pulisic is that man expected to elevate the United States onto a new plane in international soccer, and his performances in the Champions League only serve to reinforce that expectation of what he can be.
Now 25, Pulisic is in the prime of his career. Through his experience with clubs like Chelsea and Milan, he is more complete to be able to lead both on and off the pitch. The ability to decide important matches, as we saw with his Olympic goal against Club Brugge, is exactly what the USMNT needs to succeed in international competitions.