Christian Pulisic, once valued at a hefty price tag of $70 million, made his move from Chelsea to AC Milan for a modest fee of $22 million in 2023. Many skeptics questioned whether this was another overhyped player being offloaded but ever since joining the Rossoneri, Pulisic has been in outstanding form for both club and country. Former AC Milan player, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was full of praise for the ‘Lebron James of Soccer’. 

In the latest interview with UEFA Champions League Magazine, the soccer legend nicknamed Pulisic as Captain America. “I think Christian is our ‘Captain America’. He is doing extraordinary things, you can see that he is happy; being at Milan makes every player happy. This is not just my opinion; every player would tell you the same thing” said Ibrahimovic. (H/T- SempreMilan)

And he has been in fantastic form indeed. This season Pulisic has 11 goal contributions in 15 matches for the Rossoneri. He was a key player, in the side that beat current Champions League Trophy holders, Real Madrid 3-1 at Santiago Bernabéu. Recently, the ex-Chelsea player became the fastest player in USMNT history to reach 50 goal contributions. 

Ibrahimovic also mentions that the Serie A club is providing an optimal environment for the players to grow as well. “for Pulisic, we have revitalized him and now you can see that he is really happy on the pitch, and for this reason, he is performing at a high level. Off the pitch he is also essential for us.” said Ibrahimovic. 

The revival of Captain America has been nothing short of exhilarating as he continues to shine on the global stage. During the USMNT’s 5-2 aggregate win over Jamaica in the Nations League quarter-finals, the AC Milan winger made the headlines, not for his brace but his post-goal celebrations, perhaps he was a little too happy! 

Pulisic’s Trump dance sparks debate in USMNT’s victory

After breaking the deadlock for the Stars and Stripes in the 13th minute, the skipper rushed towards the corner flag and did the iconic shimmy. Untelevised footage showcased that other players from Mauricio Pochettino’s squad also joined in. This became a hot topic of discussion with many arguing over the involvement of politics in sports. 

To provide more context, Donald Trump recently won the 2024 U.S. elections, and the skipper’s gesture was in recognition of the president-elect. Former USMNT legend, Alexi Lalas was quick to defend Pulisic among others. With the North American continent hosting the 2026 World Cup, this won’t be the last time we see the shimmy. 

Going forward, the skipper looks to be one of the keymen for the USMNT. The side is hoping to win the CONCACAF Nations League for the fourth consecutive time, which will raise Pulisic’s price tag even more! With clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United showing interest in the American, who knows if he were to return to the Premier League next summer?