Usually, the second weekend of October sees Christian Pulisic flanked by compatriots as the Star-Spangled Banner plays.
asserted
Banner → see → compatriots
Last year, he was involved in US friendlies against Ecuador and Australia.
asserted
he → involve → Ecuador
But this year, with Fifa having folded the October window into September, Pulisic didn’t have the chance.
asserted
Pulisic → fold → chance
On Sunday, his prescribed pre-match music was O Generosa, the Serie A anthem, which he observed with a soft smile.
asserted
he → prescribe → 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.
asserted
it → leave → Milan
The misery: just one trophy since he arrived in July 2023, a 2025 Supercoppa Italia held in Saudi Arabia.
asserted
he → arrive → Arabia
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.
asserted
he → open → state
In a continuation of a frustratingly familiar theme, Pulisic’s fourth season with Milan hasn’t started smoothly.
asserted
season → start → Milan
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.
asserted
he → suffer → September
He opened Sunday’s visit to Sassuolo in his usual spot as the right half-space winger beneath Gonçalo Ramos.
asserted
He → open → Ramos
Pulisic still commands quite a lot of attention.
asserted
Pulisic → command → 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.
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touches → let → 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.
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he → converge → midfield
Pulisic dropped into the defensive half often in search of creating numerical advantages, part of a relatively free-roaming deployment.
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Pulisic → drop → deployment
He led Milan players with 5.3km (3.2 miles) covered in the first half, although his industry failed to create much.
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industry → lead → 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.
asserted
He → play → 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.
uncertain
Chukwueze → block → 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.
asserted
Pulisic → have → career
Teams expect an attacker nearing 30 to be prolific.
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attacker → expect → 30
A player who is steady if unspectacular at this point can fall down the depth chart if a younger, more dynamic alternative presents themself.
asserted
alternative → fall → themself
With a quarter-hour left against Sassuolo, Amorim opted for one: Pulisic off, Alpha Cissè in.
asserted
Amorim → leave → one
Since arriving from Hellas Verona this summer, Cissè has been a bright spot for Milan.
asserted
Cissè → arrive → Milan
The 19-year-old was lauded by Amorim early in the season, starting as Pulisic recovered from his World Cup injury.
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Pulisic → laud → injury
In just 242 league minutes, Cissè has scored twice; Pulisic, now up to 190 minutes under Amorim, has one.
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Pulisic → score → one
“I love Cissè.
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I → love → Cissè
I love Cissè,” crooned the coach in late August.
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coach → love → August
That’s not to say that everything is against Pulisic.
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everything → ’ → 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.
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club → report → era
He has history to fall back on, having led Milan with 17 goals in all competitions last season.
asserted
He → have → competitions
“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.
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Pulisic → say → name
“So, yeah, I’m not thinking about the contract renewal but I am very happy here.
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I → think → renewal
I want to stay at Milan.”
asserted
I → want → Milan
Cissè’s rising presence mirrors Pulisic’s new reality with his national team.
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presence → rise → 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.
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who → usher → 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.
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they → validate → US
Pulisic has struggled on international duty under Pochettino.
asserted
Pulisic → struggle → Pochettino
He’s scored just once since the start of 2025, in the tune-up friendly against Senegal.
asserted
He → score → 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.
asserted
who → reinforce → window
It’s far too soon to write Pulisic off.
asserted
It → ’ → Pulisic
He covers considerable ground.
asserted
He → cover → ground
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
