Christian Pulisic and Chelsea accomplished a reversal of fortunes after Frank Lampard’s reign at Stamford Bridge got here to an finish after boxing day, with the membership successful its second Champions League trophy since Roman Abramovich turned membership proprietor.
The Blues did properly to scupper the plans of Pep Guardiola and Manchester Metropolis, with the Etihad outfit seeking to raise their first piece of European silverware after the membership confirmed their standing as high canine within the Premier League as soon as extra. But it surely was to not be for Pep as soon as once more, and an American performed a key position in Chelsea’s run to the ultimate this season.
Netting a aim throughout their semi-final two-legged conflict with Actual Madrid, Pulisic confirmed his standing as the primary United States males’s worldwide to win the very best membership honor in Europe.
Christian Pulisic is celebrating within the USMNT gear ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ki6bRJAsEK
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 29, 2021
The Hershey, Pennsylvania-native has already etched his identify in United States lore earlier towards Actual Madrid, when his aim within the first-leg 1-1 draw not solely made Pulisic the highest-scoring American within the competitors’s historical past, however the one American to ever rating a aim within the semi-final of the Champions League whereas additionally being the primary from the States to ever rating towards Actual.
Ever since his breakthrough at Borussia Dortmund beneath Thomas Tuchel, Pulisic has been a star within the making at each membership stage in addition to again dwelling within the US. Following within the footsteps of the likes of Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, Pulisic has impressed at each flip. The versatile and gifted ahead has firmly planted the US flag on European grounds because the headline identify – and face – of a technology of gamers representing the celebrities and stripes which can be younger, hungry, and adequate to make a substantial influence on the European recreation.
There have been questions round his future at Chelsea, nevertheless, with Pulisic solely being a bit-part starter for Tuchel’s Blues regardless of his performances enhancing beneath the German tactician since his appointment. Not seen as first-choice, and with Chelsea’s spending habits this season mirroring their development of repeatedly seeking to enhance the workforce, some have speculated that he was sad along with his rule and will search for a transfer away if the scenario didn’t enhance. However these rumors had been put to mattress by Pulisic himself, claiming he was completely glad on the membership regardless of the obvious change in significance.
No matter what lies forward for the American prodigy, his story continues to encourage as he blazes a path for a lot of others like him which can be at present in his wake.