Christian Pulisic let his soccer do the talking on Sunday for AC Milan.
After making headlines by speaking out against American soccer legends who criticized his recent lack of commitment to the U.S. men’s national team in the latest episode of his docuseries, “PULISIC,” the 26-year-old midfielder ensured to quiet his critics with a standout performance on the pitch.
Starting at striker in Milan’s first competitive match of the season, Pulisic helped lead the team to a 2–0 victory over Serie B side Barri to advance through the first round of the Coppa Italia ahead of their Serie A opening match against Cremonese on Aug. 23.
His strike partner Rafael Leão opened the scoring in the 14th minute, before Pulisic netted his first goal of the 2025-26 campaign in the 48th minute to seal the victory in front of the San Siro faithful.
Pulisic’s goal came from a perfect Concacaf combination as well, as Mexico’s Santiago Giménez picked off a wayward Barri pass in midfield, before exchanging with Pulisic, who quickly turned and finished for the 2–0 lead.
CHRISTIAN PULISIC WITH THE TOUCH AND TURN FOR MILAN 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/jUri8CS7zr
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) August 17, 2025
In addition to the goal, Pulisic created five chances, and hit the post in a performance that also saw him complete 56 touches, including nine in the opposition’s box. Meanwhile, fellow American Yunus Musah also came on during the match and completed 15 of his 15 passes, while creating a single chance in a 24 minute appearance.
Outside of the Americans, Croatian legend Luka Modrić also made his AC Milan debut, with the 39-year-old playing his first club match after leaving Real Madrid, where he spent 13 seasons.
This season, the Rossoneri are hoping to improve on their eighth place finish in Serie A from 2024–25, while Pulisic will look to build on his 17 goals and 12 assists in 50 games across all competitions, and find his form ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Christian Pulisic Quiets Doubters in Standout Performance for AC Milan in Coppa Italia.
