USMNT can learn from Christian Pulisic’s form with AC Milan

Pulisic’s five goals in seven Serie A games put him second in the league’s Golden Boot race and led Spanish outlet AS to wonder if he’s the best player in Italy. Pulisic’s renaissance comes at the perfect time for the USMNT, which will play its first match under new coach Mauricio Pochettino on Saturday. 

As Pulisic travels back to the United States to face Panama in that game, the question he must address is simple: Can the 26-year-old star continue his hot streak for the national team?

Early signs point to the affirmative.

Much of Pulisic’s trouble at Chelsea came from being played out of position. Coaches Frank Lampard, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter used him as a striker despite him bring far more comfortable on the flanks. 

AC Milan’s coaches haven’t made the same mistake, playing Pulisic as a winger since his arrival in 2023. And, crucially, they’ve paired him with a nose-to-goal striker in both seasons (Olivier Giroud in 2023 and Tammy Abraham in 2024). Those pairings helped Pulisic contribute as a goalscorer and chance creator.

Pochettino is expected to use Pulisic as a winger — USMNT coaches always have — but he can learn from Milan’s success and pair his star with a traditional striker. 

Strikers Folarin Balogun and Tim Weah are both unavailable due to injury after they started alongside Pulisic in the USMNT’s fateful loss against Panama this summer. So Pochettino could opt for a bigger, more position-focused striker in their place. 

Coventry City striker Haji Wright could do that job well. Monterrey striker Brandon Vazquez — a late addition to the squad after Balogun’s withdrawal — could, too. Both would play the same role that Giroud and Abraham have played for Pulisic with Milan.

Pulisic’s biggest criticism in Italy is his leadership in the locker room. On Sunday, Milan lost 2-1 to Fiorentina after Pulisic, the team’s set penalty taker, ceded two penalties to other players (both of which were missed). After the loss, Milan coach Paulo Fonseca railed against his players for their perceived lack of respect. 

“Our penalty taker is Pulisic,” he told DAZN. “I don’t know why the players changed their minds.”

Respect shouldn’t be a problem for Pulisic in the USMNT camp, where he is lauded as the team’s most impactful player. If Pochettino encourages that respect — and pairs Pulisic with the right striking partner — he should be able to take advantage of his star’s excellent form.

The USMNT plays Panama on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. After that match, it will face Mexico on Oct. 15 in Guadalajara.