Chelsea: Christian Pulisic comes alive for the United States vs Mexico

Christian Pulisic has had himself an incredibly exciting last two years. That being said, life hasn’t always been kind to the Pennsylvania native. After being the hero of Chelsea’s post-restart period, the new No. 10 found himself in a bit of a funk following a series of injuries to start the campaign. A managerial change saw him demoted to the role of super sub under Thomas Tuchel. He’s had an impact nonetheless, his most noteworthy moments coming against Real Madrid in the UCL semifinal.

Pulisic became the first American to play a part in a Champions League final when he came on late during the Blues’ victory over Manchester City. The American lifted his first piece of silverware with his ‘new’ club after a tough campaign, which undoubtedly made the rollercoaster ride worth it. The season was not over yet though. Just days after the final, he joined Gregg Berhalter’s United States Men’s National Team camp and began preparations for the CONCACAF Nations League. Pulisic played a role in the semifinal win over Honduras, but the eyes of North America were on the final match-up with the USA’s fiercest rival, Mexico. He did not disappoint.

Pulisic has plenty of experience in the heated contests with the noisy neighbors, but this was undoubtedly one of the biggest international bouts of his young career. Many questions were asked of the 22-year-old early on in the game as he failed to get involved. Those doubters went quiet late on after the Chelsea and United States No. 10 silenced the crowd at Sports Authority Field. Pulisic buried the decisive penalty with a rocket into the top corner in the 114′ to give the home side a 3-2 victory. The winger’s goal saw him lift his second trophy in as many weeks.

Despite the success in terms of silverware, Pulisic’s performance on Sunday was a microcosm of his season. If we’ve learned one thing about him during his two seasons at Chelsea it’s that he has a habit of being inconsistent. That may sound like a criticism of the 22-year-old, but that’s far from the case.

The only consistent players at that age on the world’s biggest stage are the handful of elite talents. Pulisic is a very, very good player, he has a long way to go before he can be considered elite though. He’s shown numerous times that he loves the big occasions; after all, that’s what he’s been thrown into throughout his career. Captain America—as he’s now been dubbed by supporters across the globe—has taken on the title of wonderkid since he joined Borussia Dortmund and the USMNT a few years ago. Pulisic has had the weight of the world on his shoulders, he deserves a bit of slack after inconsistent spells.

There has been a lot of talk recently of Pulisic leaving Stamford Bridge. Truth is, Chelsea is probably the best place for him. He is seen as the captain (literally, on Sunday) of the United States and the expectations for him are through the roof in his home country—to the point where it’s a bit unfair to a youngster. Being with the Blues means he can simply be himself. There is no escaping the large transfer fee, but he’s surrounded by top-level talents that can pick up the slack when it’s not his night.

Pulisic’s performance against Mexico reminded us all that he is human. Sure, he is the face of the United States’ golden generation, he is not perfect though—nobody is. If we learned one thing on Sunday night, it’s that he continues to live for the big moments. It’s another piece of silverware for the esteemed American as he adds to his growing collection.

What did you make of Pulisic’s performance in the CONCACAF Nations League final? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!