U.S. men’s national team captain Christian Pulisic opened up about his time at Chelsea and just how much more “at home” he feels with AC Milan.
Pulisic is coming off a career-best season playing for the Rossoneri. The 26-year-old recorded 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, helping AC Milan win their first Italian Super Cup in nearly a decade.
The American’s success in Milan is a far cry from his shortcomings at Chelsea just two years prior. Pulisic only found the back of the net 26 times in 145 appearances for the Blues and struggled to play regular minutes in his four-year stint at Stamford Bridge.
As Pulisic gears up for the 2025–26 season, the winger revealed why he believes his game reached new heights as soon as he left Chelsea for AC Milan.
“Here at Milan, I’ve been given freedom from the start, and I feel the trust in me from everyone: from my teammates to the coach, from the directors to the fans,” Pulisic said to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Pulisic went from fighting for a place in Chelsea’s XI to becoming a permanent fixture in AC Milan’s lineup. The USMNT star made 51 appearances in his debut campaign with the Rossoneri and 50 more last season. In the biggest games across all competitions, Pulisic was a focal point of the Italian giants’ attack, earning starts on the wing or as the team’s No. 10.
“By acquiring me, the club has given me a great opportunity, and I have a duty to improve every year, to work hard to always take a step forward in terms of performance.”
The conversation turned to whether Pulisic feels “more at home” at AC Milan, a fact that the former Chelsea man agreed with.
“That’s true, although it’s easier to say after having scored so many goals in the last two seasons,” Pulisic said. “I’m having a lot of fun at Milan and I want to continue on this path, pushing as hard as I can.”
Pulisic and the Rossoneri will look to bounce back in Serie A next season after only managing a disappointing eighth place finish in 2024–25. AC Milan will miss out on European soccer, but with new manager Massimiliano Allegri at the helm and the arrival of Luka Modrić, Pulisic is optimistic about the team’s future.
“Our goal is to qualify [for the Champions League] next year. The Champions League is the most exciting European competition, and Milan deserves to play in it,” Pulisic said.
“We’ll try to win as many games as possible and finish as high as we can [in Serie A].”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT Star Christian Pulisic on Finding ‘Freedom’ at AC Milan After Chelsea Struggles.
