Is Christian Pulisic world-class? USMNT & AC Milan star told why he is as Tyler Adams claims 'an American is the best player in Serie A'

It is difficult to argue against that assessment. After deciding to sever ties with Premier League giants Chelsea in 2023 - a team that made him a Champions League winner - Pulisic hit 15 goals during his debut season in Milan. That bar was raised to 17 last season, with the target being found on six occasions through eight appearances in the current campaign.

The 27-year-old has become an integral part of Milan’s plans, with the Serie A giants working hard to put a new contract in place. Terms have been on the table for several months, with Pulisic still mulling over what his long-term future should hold. He is settled in Italy and enjoying life with golf pro girlfriend Alexa Melton.

Finding a smile on and off the pitch is allowing him to produce his best on a more consistent basis. That is good news for Milan and the United States, with Mauricio Pochettino readying his squad for a home World Cup in the summer of 2026. Pulisic will be a contender to captain his country at that event, alongside Adams - who filled the armband at Qatar 2022.

Bournemouth midfielder Adams told Men In Blazers of seeing a close friend and compatriot unlock full potential in Milan: "I text him on the side all the time, like individually, but it makes me so happy, especially walking into my own team changing room, for instance, and just saying like, an American is the best player in Serie A. Like, what's the argument? Give me an argument. We'll debate it right now. It's unreal. And it's more the fact that this is now not his first season doing it. It's been three seasons. The stats don't lie. His performances don't lie against the biggest teams, the best opponents. He is always there showing up.

"If he’s not world class already, he’s as close as you get to being world-class. And I don't say that lightly, of course, but how can you deny it? If we're going to call someone that's joint top scorer with him world-class, why are we not calling him world-class?"

Explaining why Pulisic now stands alongside the best players on the planet, Adams added: "Listen, for me, he always shows up in the biggest games, regardless of what game or moment it is. And I've always had that feeling with the national team as well, that he shows up every single time we need him.

"I don't want to speak for him, but when you watch a player like him play and you watch him with Milan, freedom gives him the best opportunity to be unbelievable. You don't want to pigeonhole him in one position and say, ‘Stay out wide. When you get the ball, then you have your opportunity to go.’

"It's like, come pop up in the spots where you feel you're going to be dangerous. And you watch him play with Milan, and he's always popping up in a different spot. The ball goes wide. He's arriving in the box. That's him. That's the quality that he has. And you need to be able to give him that freedom to just be able to go find the solutions for our team. And he's that player."

It remains to be seen whether Pulisic will agree to stick around in Milan, with former USMNT goalkeeper Brad Friedel telling GOAL recently that ‘Captain America’ should "have an eye open somewhere else" if a tempting opportunity presents itself. The Rossoneri will be hoping that their efforts in 2025-26 help to convince a prized asset that he should stay put, with Massimiliano Allegri’s side currently sat third in the Serie A standings - two points adrift of table-topping defending champions Napoli.