Christian Pulisic is no longer a focal point for the US or Milan – and that’s OK

U sually, the second weekend of October sees Christian Pulisic flanked by compatriots as the Star-Spangled Banner plays. Last year, he was involved in US friendlies against Ecuador and Australia. But this year, with Fifa having folded the October window into September, Pulisic didn’t have the chance. On Sunday, his prescribed pre-match music was O Generosa, the Serie A anthem, which he observed with a soft smile.

Mark Twain’s first visit to Italy left him describing the country as “a vast museum of magnificence and misery,” and it’s a fitting summary of Pulisic’s three-plus years with Milan . The magnificence: 43 goals and 28 assists in 138 appearances. The misery: just one trophy since he arrived in July 2023, a 2025 Supercoppa Italia held in Saudi Arabia.

For years, Pulisic’s club career was a source of chronic frustration in between the reprieve of international duty. Now, after Mauricio Pochettino opened the team’s next era by selecting 13 top prospects (but not Pulisic, recently recovered from injury), his international standing is in a shakier state than ever, more than a decade after he debuted.

In a continuation of a frustratingly familiar theme, Pulisic’s fourth season with Milan hasn’t started smoothly. The lower-leg microfracture he suffered against Belgium at the World Cup this summer has kept him off Ruben Amorim’s teamsheet, only making his first league start in mid-September. He opened Sunday’s visit to Sassuolo in his usual spot as the right half-space winger beneath Gonçalo Ramos.

Pulisic still commands quite a lot of attention. Mid-table Sassuolo were more willing to let the ball find Diego Moreira than Pulisic, with the American’s touches garnering additional defensive bodies. As opponents converged whenever he entered the final third, he often cycled possession to fellow US international Yunus Musah, trailing behind on the right side of midfield.

Pulisic dropped into the defensive half often in search of creating numerical advantages, part of a relatively free-roaming deployment. He led Milan players with 5.3km (3.2 miles) covered in the first half, although his industry failed to create much. He was a key part of the buildup to Milan’s only goal of the day, playing the pass before Luka Modrić’s assist before offering the Croat a helpful decoy run.

By the 77th minute, Pulisic’s sole shot had been blocked and his only created chance was stifled by the goalkeeper before Samuel Chukwueze could fashion a dangerous shot. Pulisic has had either a goal or an assist in just four of his 22 most recent appearances in Serie A.

Having turned 28 last month, Pulisic is in the next, veteran phase of his career. Teams expect an attacker nearing 30 to be prolific. A player who is steady if unspectacular at this point can fall down the depth chart if a younger, more dynamic alternative presents themself.

With a quarter-hour left against Sassuolo, Amorim opted for one: Pulisic off, Alpha Cissè in.

Since arriving from Hellas Verona this summer, Cissè has been a bright spot for Milan. The 19-year-old was lauded by Amorim early in the season, starting as Pulisic recovered from his World Cup injury. In just 242 league minutes, Cissè has scored twice; Pulisic, now up to 190 minutes under Amorim, has one.

“I love Cissè. I love Cissè,” crooned the coach in late August.

That’s not to say that everything is against Pulisic. This week, Gazzetta dello Sport reported that he’s one of three key players the club hopes to renew early in the Amorim era. He has history to fall back on, having led Milan with 17 goals in all competitions last season.

“I can only say that I am very happy at Milan right now and for the near future as well,” Pulisic said at a San Siro meet-and-greet during the window, flanked by a wall of shirts bearing his name. “So, yeah, I’m not thinking about the contract renewal but I am very happy here. I want to stay at Milan.”

Cissè’s rising presence mirrors Pulisic’s new reality with his national team. Pochettino ushered in the next generation as Pulisic remained in Italy, giving debuts to several teenage attackers who are hungry to work into the fold. Cavan Sullivan validated the hype with an audacious account opener against Mexico, while others – like wingers Mathis Albert and new Crystal Palace signing Zavier Gozo – began what they hope will be long careers representing the US.

Pulisic has struggled on international duty under Pochettino. He’s scored just once since the start of 2025, in the tune-up friendly against Senegal. His mostly poor performances at the World Cup hardly reinforced his bona fides to the Argentinian, who declined to directly address Pulisic’s situation during the recent international window.

It’s far too soon to write Pulisic off. He covers considerable ground. His more decisive touches can generate threats, though too often he appears caught in two minds about his best course of action. After years of being cast by Milan and, especially, the US as an attacking focal point, he may be more dangerous as an auxiliary option with a lower touch volume.

Internationally, his rising teammates could afford Pulisic a lower-pressure role. Sullivan has relished early acclamation of being the face of the program. Folarin Balogun weathered the pressure – well, the more normal kinds – of being the team’s chief goalscorer at the World Cup, bagging three goals in 316 minutes. With Pulisic absent, Pochettino used his usual spot at left-wing to shoehorn in both of his chief playmakers, Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman; given his past form at Milan, he could still slot in at right-wing while making Sullivan a useful alternative to all three from the bench.

Pulisic’s entire career had been framed in the context of a home World Cup. Perhaps being freed from that years-long pressure can enable him to rediscover his best form, to Milan’s benefit as well as his national team’s.

But with this summer’s World Cup gone and his performances leaving something to be desired, we’re left to wait and watch to see who Pulisic is, and will be, as a player.