It looked like an NFL play.
Christian Pulisic argued with his blocker and former teammate Yacine Adli and then ran a route from inside to outside. He opened up to Theo Hernandez's ball, which flew to the far post, jumped and fired a wonderful volley wide of goal in the style of AC Milan great Marco van Basten.
It was at a sharp angle. Both feet left the ground and Pulisic somehow managed to beat goalkeeper David de Gea, who seemed unbeatable in Florence.
My eyes are on luxury, Pulisic 🔥#Italian_League pic.twitter.com/XEk5vjwnLb
– Italian League (@SerieA_AR) October 7, 2024
The goal should be the main plot. However, Milan lost to Fiorentina 2-1. It was their second defeat in a row in all competitions.
The usually unflappable Paulo Fonseca did not want to talk about referee Artemio Franchi. At least not in detail. “I love this game,” said Milan's head coach, “and I don't want to contribute to this circus.” The referee pointed the point in Fiorentina's favor and then awarded two penalties to Milan. Pulisic, as Milan's chosen goalscorer, could have ended the evening with a hat-trick.
But he didn't take any of them. Theo Hernandez, who was leading Milan, went ahead first, hoping to make it 1-1 at half-time. It was his birthday and if he had scored, he would have become the highest-scoring defender in Milan's history. De Gea thwarted him.
Fikayo Tomori then grabbed the ball and passed it to her best friend Tammy Abraham to try to make the next one. This wasn't a complete surprise. In September, Milan also received several penalties against Venezia. Pulisic put away the first ball and then allowed Abraham to take the second. The Englishman had recently joined on loan from Roma and his teammates wanted to see him fulfill his role. Unlike in Florence, where Milan were still looking for an equalizer, on this occasion they were leading 3-0 at the San Siro against a winless promoted team.
Abraham opened his account against Venice. However, De Gea stopped him from adding it at the weekend.
While Pulisic's volley brought Milan level shortly afterwards, Fiorentina prevailed and Fonseca could not hide his disappointment that his players had disregarded team orders. “Of course I told the players that this cannot happen again. The player who should take it is Christian. And I'm pissed about it.”
As a result, the headlines were dominated by Farrago's penalty and Hernandez's late red card, which could have been stolen by Pulisic had the score been different. He won't soon forget his goal. Technically, it was his best result since moving to Italy a year ago, although he could refer to his debut goal in Bologna, the one against Frosinone, when he brought down Mike Maignan after a goal kick with a Velcro-like first touch, or his curlers with long corner kicks against Monza and Lecce.
Pulisic's most important goal undoubtedly came last month when he became the first American to score in the Derby della Madonnina and snapped a six-game losing streak against Inter as Milan beat their rivals for the first time in two years.
Pulisic celebrates scoring against Inter (Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images)
This means that Pulisic flying home for Mauricio Pochettino's first games in charge of the USMNT is probably the best Pulisic ever.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's matches against Panama and Tuesday's match against Mexico, the 26-year-old said: “Yes, it's hard to explain it (his form). I think you have moments in your career when you feel like everything you touch hits the goal, but there are also moments when you feel like you're trying everything and the ball doesn't go in. As an attacking player, we've been through it all. So I try to live in the moment, when everything seems to be going well, and just keep going. It's the result of all the work I've put into my life. So this shouldn't be a surprise. I know I have these skills and I think I can just go so high.
His new USMNT coach is also pleased, describing Pulisic as “a great, great player, a fantastic player, a player who will help now and in the future to put the team where we want it to be. He is one of the best attacking players in the world.”
However, there were some concerns whether Pulisic would overwork himself. “He plays every game, every minute. I also think we're a little worried that sometimes we have to protect (him). We'll see. Because he arrived a little tired. But this is the thing that I (you) talked about earlier, which is to build a very good relationship with the club and try to help, and when we really need him, he has to be happy and strong.
No one in Serie A was involved in more goals (21 + 12 assists) during Pulisic's time in the league; neither Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, nor Lautaro Martinez, nor teammate Rafael Leao.
Those who doubted his durability must take into account the fact that last season he played 44 matches for Milan and played over 4,000 minutes for the club and the national team. Initially signed as a number 10 who could protect the winger positions when needed, he kept Samuel Chukwueze out of the team when Stefano Pioli opted to play him on the right side instead.
Pulisic is in great shape (Katie Stratman-Imagn Images)
This season he threatens to become Milan's best player. Theo and Leao remain the most talented. But they both blow hot and cold. Meanwhile, Pulisic continues to play. It was the first time in Europe's top five leagues that he had scored in four consecutive league games, with the level of consistency partially hidden by Milan's good and bad starts to the season.
Yunus Musaje's club and national teammate says that's exactly what Pulisic is capable of. “It's no surprise,” he said Friday, “but it's always nice to see him score and help the team. He is ours (Milan is the best attacking player at the moment and I hope it continues like that.”
🥁🥁 September's MVP is…. 🥁🥁
Bow, @pulisic! 👏@emirates #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/VJ0YV8wdc6
— AC Milan (@acmilan) October 4, 2024
It's true that not every goal scored was a complete performance. Pulisic scored in the defeat to Parma and then went unconscious like the rest of the team. However, against Inter he played like a man possessed. Pulisic repeatedly hit their defense, stole the ball from Henrikh Mkhitaryan for his goal, silenced the team's critics and later hit Alessandro Bastoni, leading the Italy international to tackle him to the ground.
“Christian's participation in our art is more effective,” Fonseca explained to DAZN. This happened for several reasons.
On the one hand, he is maturing and knows the league and his teammates better. On the other hand, Milan's new coaching staff slightly modified his position. In the defeat against Liverpool, Fonseca tried a different system. Out of possession, Milan played in a 4-2-4 with a very narrow attacking line. This meant that if and when they won the ball back high up the pitch, as happened a few days later against Inter, Pulisic would be more central, closer to goal and more dangerous.
“It's not like he only plays inside,” Fonseca explained. “There are times when he goes wide too. Thanks to this, he is closer to the goal, shoots and assists. He knows how to play between the lines and that's important to me. He also scored goals like the '9'.
If only he would take more punishment. If only he had better support from his full-back than Emerson Royal, Milan could get even more bang for their buck. But the €20m (£16.7m; $21.9m) they paid for Pulisic a year ago is looking more and more valuable with each passing match.
This move worked out well for them, him and the USMNT as the World Cup approaches.
(Additional contributor: Paul Tenorio)
(Photo at top: Photo Agency/Getty Images)
