USMNT's leading man Christian Pulisic is finally playing like the potential superstar he promised to be at Borussia Dortmund for AC Milan

It feels hard to believe, but it's been nearly nine years since Pulisic first signed with Borussia Dortmund. Much has changed in that time, and that was the aim of it all when Pulisic first moved to Germany at age 16. The goal wasn't to follow the typical path set out for him in American soccer; it was to blaze a new trail and become the new face of the U.S. men's national team.

That process began in Dortmund and, in some ways, it began faster than many could have expected. Less than a year after arriving, Pulisic was tossed into the first team, making his debut after the Bundesliga's winter break. He never looked back from that moment, becoming something of a regular for Dortmund in the coming years.

We know how it all went: 127 appearances, 19 goals and a DFB-Pokal later, Pulisic had proven himself at one of Germany's biggest clubs. He was also beginning to prove himself as an American soccer star, the phoenix to emerge from the ashes of the 2018 World Cup failure to lead a new generation that, ultimately, proved itself in 2022.

In January 2019, though, it was confirmed that Pulisic would be moving on, as he agreed to a deal to move to Chelsea the following summer for a record-breaking £58 million (€64m/$73m) transfer fee. In the process, he became the most expensive American player ever and Dortmund's second-biggest sale, behind only Dembele.

If there was a word to describe Pulisic's life at Chelsea, and the Blues in general over the last few years, it would be 'inconsistent'. There were highs, of course, especially early on. Brought in to replace Eden Hazard, Pulisic showed glimpses of being able to do just that, notably during the club's run to the 2020-21 Champions League.

Pulisic, however, never locked down a regular spot on the field and, by the end, was buried behind a plethora of other big-money attacking signings. There was never really a period where Pulisic got the consistent run of games needed, whether due to injury, managerial changes or overall Chelsea chaos.

By the end, all involved were ready to move on. Chelsea had spent big on new attackers, and there's no end in sight to that pursuit. Pulisic, meanwhile, clearly needed a fresh start. So, after four seasons, 26 goals and three trophies, Pulisic said goodbye to Stamford Bridge and hello to San Siro.

By joining Milan, Pulisic didn't have to take a step backwards. No, this was a step sideways and, depending on how you look at it, maybe a step forward.

Milan are in the Champions League, after all. They were semi-finalists last season and Serie A champions the year before. For years, Italy's giants were relatively dormant, but over the last few campaigns, they've shown signs of life.

This summer, with stars like Sandro Tonali and Brahim Diaz on the way out, the club went out and added a few new pieces. Samuel Chukwueze was one, as was Pulisic's USMNT team-mate Yunus Musah. However, the American winger was the big one, signed for a reported €20 million (£17m/$22m). Thus far, that move has looked like a stroke of genius for both Milan and Pulisic.

Serie A has been a good landing spot for Pulisic. He scored in his first two appearances, netting against Bologna and Torino in a pair of wins to start the season. There was a bit of a blip after the international break, but Pulisic was back among the goals on Saturday, scoring the opener in a 2-0 win over Lazio.

The goals are good, particularly for a player that will take every chance to boost his confidence after years in and out of the Chelsea XI. But that's just one part of all of this; the other is how he's getting them.

For the first time in a while, Pulisic has been able to bring his USMNT swagger to the club level. He's playing with purpose, not fear, as he continues to create danger for Milan. He already has a relationship with Olivier Giroud from Chelsea, and with Rafael Leao drawing plenty of eyeballs on the other wing, Pulisic has been free to do what he does best. His most recent goal came via a Leao cross, ensuring that he heads into this Champions League reunion in good form.

It will be a nice moment for Pulisic, for sure. He'll probably receive a decent ovation from the Dortmund fans, who will have been watching on as the young boy that joined their club years ago returns for the first time in a while. After that, though, there's a game to play, and a crucial one at that.

Pulisic will reportedly be in Milan's XI, as will Musah. For both teams, this isn't quite a must-win, but it may just be a must-not-lose. Milan are on one point after their opening game, having earned a draw with Newcastle that should have been a win. Dortmund, meanwhile, were outplayed by Paris Saint-Germain in their opener, leaving them on the back foot just one game in.

A loss for either team would be a major blow for either's chance of making the knockouts. This is a tight group, this Group of Death, and whichever two teams advance will be the ones who've survived it, not dominated it.

Because of that, there will be no time for emotions, as Pulisic and Milan can take a massive step forward if they can leave Signal Iduna Park with all three points.

It will be in the back of his mind, if it's even in his mind at all, but Pulisic and his USMNT team-mates are also gearing up for some big friendlies very soon. The U.S. will face Germany on October 14 and then Ghana three days later in the first real tests of Gregg Berhalter's second era. Wins against Uzbekistan and Oman were nice, but these two games will give the U.S. challenges more akin to those that they'll face at next summer's Copa America.

Pulisic's USMNT status is secure, but even so, these games are important. And it's key that he heads into these games fit, confident and in-form. Milan, thus far, has set him up to do just that.

Over the next few days, he'll lead Milan back to his former home for this Dortmund clash and then into one final match against Genoa before the start of the international break. The season is just getting started, but there are already big moments ahead for Pulisic and Milan, and there's no doubt he'll be relishing this next one while perhaps thinking back on how far he's come since it all began.