Why have goals dried up for USMNT star Christian Pulisic at AC Milan? Rossoneri legend Massimo Ambrosini explains 12-game barren run

Pulisic enjoyed a positive start to the 2025-26 campaign, with six goals being recorded through seven appearances. He helped to fire Milan into Serie A title contention, with collective sparks at San Siro seemingly being rediscovered under Massimiliano Allegri.

The odd injury issue has been endured since then, with muscular problems proving difficult to shift, and the back of the net was last found in a 3-0 win over Verona on December 28. Pulisic was able to provide an assist for Adrien Rabiot in Milan’s last outing - which delivered a 3-2 victory against Torino.

The hope is that the floodgates will open again when it comes to goal contributions, with Milan needing Pulisic to deliver in their ongoing quest to secure Champions League qualification. Allegri does, however, stand accused of doing his fearsome American forward few favours.

Quizzed by GOAL on what has gone wrong for Pulisic of late, ex-Milan midfielder Ambrosini - speaking in association with BetVictor Online Casino - said: “I think he has some physical problems right now, that is the first reason. The second reason is that he's not playing in the way he likes playing.

“AC Milan decided to play without a striker. He has been playing with Rafael Leao, who is not a striker. For me, this is one of the reasons. He's not in very good shape, first of all. But even tactical reasons for him, he needs to play in a team who play better than Milan, more offensively. Milan can play backwards, and that is not good for him right now. He also missed some chances in front of the goal that normally he didn't miss.”

With Milan having taken to playing Pulisic more centrally, Ambrosini added when asked what Pulisic’s best position is: “Not in the middle! He's a very intelligent player. The intelligent players find the right space where to play. But of course, it’s not in the middle.

“If he looks ahead, he should find something, someone to play with. Rafael is not, for me, the right choice. Maybe he prefers the left side because he's a right footer. But even playing on the right, where he played for Borussia Dortmund and for Chelsea, it's a good place for him.”

Pulisic quickly endeared himself to the Milanisti following his arrival from Stamford Bridge in 2023. He has been posting personal bests in Italy, with career-high figures on the goal front being raised from 15 to 17 across two productive campaigns.

He is - with golf pro girlfriend Alexa Melton often on hand to offer support - a firm fan favourite at San Siro. With several team-mates having struggled for consistency, Pulisic is considered to have taken up a standing among the Serie A elite.

Pressed on whether he is, when performing at the peak of his powers, a top-five performer in that division, Ambrosini - who won four Serie A titles and a couple of Champions League crowns with Milan - said: “In Serie A, we don't have a lot of big players. But we have Kenan Yildiz, we have Lautaro Martinez. We have, of course, Rafael. But he [Pulisic] is one of the best.”

It is, during the ongoing countdown to a home World Cup with the USMNT this summer, up to Pulisic to prove that he is deserving of the lofty billing that he continues to be given. He has previously gone - on a couple of occasions - nine games without a goal during his stint with Milan.

Form has always been rediscovered, when clear of any physical ailments, and the expectation is that the hard-working 27-year-old will soon start firing again - with Allegri potentially moving him back into a more natural position once fully stocked in the attacking options department.