7 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CHRISTIAN PULISIC

Family, football, career, national team, records, AC Milan and even food. Today we look at Christian Pulisic from a different, curious perspective. We discover and highlight some interesting aspects of the American's past, some of which are already linked to the Rossoneri.

THANK HIS MOTHER...
His career started because of his mother. It is not far-fetched to write this because when he was still a child, his mother obtained a scholarship to teach in England. Upon arriving in Tackley, Pulisic started playing for the local Brackley Town team and fell in love with football. By the way, his mother was also a footballer and at George Mason University she met Mark, the boy's father - also a player. Football was a family affair.

AMERICAMILAN
He is the third American to land at AC Milan, the first striker, after Onyewu (one official appearance between 2009-10 and 2010-11 until January) and Dest (14 appearances in 2022/23). In the Rossoneri, he will reunite with Tomori and Loftus-Cheek after Chelsea.

FIRSTS
In 2016, in a Borussia Dortmund shirt, he became the fourth-youngest player to score in the German league; the youngest among foreign players. In 2019, he became the youngest player in Chelsea's history to score a hat-trick, beating the previous record of Abraham (then a teammate, now an opponent with Roma). He is also the most prolific American in Champions League history, the first American to score in a Semi-Final, the first to play in a Final and the second to win Europe's top competition.

A WORLD CUP GOAL
With a decisive goal in the final minutes of the first half, in the Iran v USA match which was the third group match of the World Cup in Qatar in December 2022, Pulisic, eight years later, (re)gave the US national team qualification for the Round of 16. The number 10's goal - with an assist from ex-Milanista Dest - made it 1-0 to propel his side into the knockout stages, but it was short-lived as the Netherlands (1-3) came out on top in the Round of 16.

GIROUD LINK
Probably in these past few days, opening one of your social media apps, you will have seen the video in which Pulisic and Giroud talk closely in the changing room before taking to the pitch. Olivier seems to be giving Christian directions, attentive and in agreement. They were teammates at Chelsea in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. Two assists from the American to the Frenchman, one from the Frenchman to the American in London. Giroud also stated in the recent past: 'A cheerful guy, always smiling. Our understanding was very good'.

OUTSIDE OF FOOTBALL
Apart from football, Christian is passionate about chess. He started at an early age thanks to his grandfather's teachings, and over the years he has challenged relatives, friends and peers. In 2021, connected from Houston, he tried to play online against Magnus Carlsen, the world's strongest chess player, and was defeated in 25 moves in a competition organised by UNICEF. Why does he appreciate chess? "Because you constantly have to solve problems, each time it can be different: you can't be lucky, you have to be prepared and better". Golf is also an enjoyable pastime.

DEDICATED HAMBURGER
In Dortmund, he drove a couple of hours to eat a hamburger at Chipotle, a well-known American fast food chain. The call of home was too strong, the brand heard about it and then proposed the Pulisic Bowl (parallel to the McKennie bowl, American and 'old' Serie A acquaintance) at the World Cup in Qatar with rice, chicken, cheese, pinto beans, sour cream, lettuce and guacamole. Good eh, but diet tomorrow...

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