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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Jeff Rueter

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

Christian Pulisic looks upward during a match, wearing a Milan jersey
Christian Pulisic missed the US’s recent international friendlies. Photograph: Marco Bertorello/AFP/Getty Images

Usually, 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.

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