Which direction is Christian Pulisic going in? For most of his career, it was a question that preoccupied opposition defenders; more recently, it is one Pulisic has perhaps begun to ask himself. Pulisic is 23 years old, a player of rare poise and skill, by common consent the greatest male footballer to come out of the United States. Back home his face is used to sell energy drinks, computer games, burritos and peanut butter chocolates. The path to stardom has been blazed and beaten with an inexorable momentum. Now he’s here, a Champions League winner at one of the biggest clubs in the world. And yet.
Pulisic has started only 12 league games this season. A few days before this interview his father, Mark, went on Twitter to express – and then quickly retract – his disappointment at his son’s treatment at Chelsea. The FA Cup semi-final, the Club World Cup final, the Champions League second leg against Real Madrid: Pulisic was left on the bench each time. “The sad thing is he loves this club, teammates, and London,” Pulisic senior wrote. “Puts his heart and soul into being a pro. Onwards and upwards my boy ... big six months ahead.”
