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Pulisic best European seasonsGetty/GOAL

Christian Pulisic's best season ever? USMNT star's European campaigns ranked as superb AC Milan debut term comes to a close

It's hard to believe that it's been eight-and-a-half years since a teenaged Christian Pulisic first seized the spotlight. From the moment he arrived, though, it was clear that the spotlight would be his for years. His initial rise at Dortmund showed that he was special; the only question was how far he could go.

As it turns out, he's gone pretty far, and he's nowhere near done. The U.S. men's national team star already has a legendary resume, one unmatched by any of the American legends that preceded him. He's lifted the Champions League while starring for three of the world's biggest clubs. American soccer has never seen anything quite like Pulisic.

This season, though, offered a glimpse into a whole new player. After several down years at Chelsea, Pulisic rose like a phoenix in Milan, emerging as one of the most influential signings of the 2023-24 season. It was a season that reminded the world of the player Pulisic is and, ultimately, one that reminded the world of the player Pulisic still can be.

The 25-year-old is nearly a decade in, but he's a player that seemingly hasn't reached his best. He's endured his highs and lows, for sure, but the 2023-24 season might just be his biggest high yet.

But was this his best season? How does it compare to his best years at Chelsea and Dortmund? GOAL takes a look at Pulisic's career so far...

  • Christian Pulisic Chelsea 2022-23Getty Images

    92022-23 Chelsea - A neccesary goodbye

    By the time the 2022-23 season came to a close, we all knew it was time.

    As Chelsea's manager merry-go-round continued to spin, the Blues never landed on a coach willing to trust Pulisic. The American, admittedly, didn't make the most of his opportunities, but those opportunities were never consistent enough for him to really build anything up.

    In the end, he scored just one goal across 30 matches in all competitions before rightly saying goodbye to Stamford Bridge for good.

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  • Pulisic-Chelsea-2021Getty

    82021-22 Chelsea - Injuries strike

    The 2021-22 season was a trophy-filled campaign for Chelsea, who lifted the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. They also made it to two other finals, falling in the FA Cup and League Cup finals. However, it was a season of change for the Blues, and the beginning of the end for Pulisic in London.

    Injuries hampered the American early and often. After testing positive for COVID-19 early in the season, he was then ruled out until November due to an ankle injury. After missing 16 games during the 2020-21 season, Pulisic missed 19 during 2021-22. As a result, Chelsea began to look elsewhere.

    Add in the chaos surrounding Roman Abramovich, too, and it became quite clear that a new era was coming at Chelsea, one that Pulisic probably wouldn't be a part of.

  • Pulisic Dortmund 2017-18Getty

    72017-18 Borussia Dortmund - A tough campaign

    Established as a starter, Pulisic featured in 32 of Dortmund's 34 Bundesliga matches during the 2017-18 season. He continued to contribute, too, matching his goal tally of five from the previous campaign.

    It was a tough year for the club as a whole, though, as Dortmund finished fourth in the league under head coaches Peter Bosz and Peter Stoger. Combine that with the USMNT's infamous World Cup qualifying mess and it was a year to forget for Pulisic.

  • Pulisic Dortmund 2016Getty

    62015-16 Borussia Dortmund - The breakthrough

    The breakthrough campaign.

    Just 17 years old, Pulisic emerged as a talent to watch at one of the world's biggest clubs. After impressing the coaching staff during the winter break, Pulisic made his Bundesliga debut on January 30, 2016, and it's safe to say he never looked back.

    He scored twice in the Bundesliga that season across his nine appearances, but that breakthrough wasn't about the goals - it was about announcing to the world that he'd truly arrived.

  • Pulisic Dortmund 2018-19Getty

    52018-19 Borussia Dortmund - Final season in Germany

    Dortmund fell heartbreakingly short of a title during the 2018-19 season, with Bayern Munich edging their rivals by just two points. It was the closest Pulisic would get as that season would be his final one in Dortmund.

    Goal-wise, it was Pulisic's best as he scored nine times in all competitions. Those nine strikes were enough to entice Chelsea, who paid £58 million (€64m/$73m) to sign the rising star.

  • Pulisic DFB-Pokal Borussia DortmundGetty

    42016-17 Borussia Dortmund - The first trophy

    It was the season that saw Pulisic lift his first trophy.

    Dortmund claimed the DFB-Pokal that season, but that was far from the only accomplishment for Pulisic. By featuring in the Champions League that season, he became Dortmund's youngest player to ever play in the competition. He made his mark, too, scoring against Benfica.

    He finished with five goals across 43 games in what was his first full season as a pro.

  • Christian Pulisic Chelsea 2019-20Getty Images

    32019-20 Chelsea - Premier League debut

    It didn't take long for Pulisic to make his mark on the Premier League. Just a few short weeks into his time in England, Pulsiic scored a perfect hat-trick against Burnley, joining Clint Dempsey as the only two Americans to score three goals in a single Premier League game. He went on to net in his next two league matches, as well.

    Pulisic would thrive during the Premier League's covid era, scoring against Manchester City to help confirm Liverpool's title. He went on to bag a goal in the FA Cup final as well, becoming the first American to score in that match, although Chelsea fell short against Arsenal.

    By the end of the season, Pulisic had scored 11 goals and added 10 assists in all competitions, earning a nomination for Premier League Young Player of the Season.

  • Pulisic Champions League 2021 ChelseaGetty

    22020-21 Chelsea - Champions League winner

    Chelsea's 2021 Champions League triumph doesn't happen without Pulisic.

    His goal against Real Madrid in the semifinal was massive, earning a 1-1 draw in Spain. Pulisic went on to assist Mason Mount in the return leg to book Chelsea's spot in the final. Pulsic then featured against Man City in the showpiece, becoming the first American to ever play in a Champions League final.

    His goalscoring numbers took a dip, as he netted just six times throughout the season, but the impact of one particular goal cannot be understated.

  • Pulisic-MilanGetty

    12023-24 AC Milan - Serie A superstar

    Statistically, none of his prior seasons come close. During his first run through Serie A, Pulisic amassed 12 goals and seven assists, good for the second-most goal contributions on the team. He added three more goals across the Champions League and Europa League, too.

    From the very start, it was abundantly clear that this wasn't the Chelsea version of Pulisic. He was confident, decisive and, most importantly, healthy. From start to finish, Pulisic was a player that Milan could trust, and he repaid that trust with big moment after big moment.

    He's nominated for awards now, having established himself as a Serie A superstar. What's next for Pulisic? Something big, for sure, as the USMNT's top star looks ready to shine in Italy for years to come.