The headlines emerging from Italy this week have been as dramatic as anything Serie A has seen in years. Christian Pulisic scores another decisive goal for AC Milan; Lionel Messi’s name unexpectedly enters the conversation; and Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, two giants of U.S. soccer history, appear in total agreement about something that once divided opinion.
Together, they have now delivered a surprising verdict that hints at a shift in both perception and legacy — and it begins with a question many didn’t expect to hear: Have Landon Donovan and Tim Howard finally buried the hatchet with Christian Pulisic? The answer, tied to a new claim involving Messi, is more mysterious than it seems at first glance.
Across Italy, the conversation is revolving around numbers — and not just ordinary ones. Christian Pulisic has now produced 48 goal contributions in Serie A since the start of 2023–24, a total that puts him level with Lautaro Martinez and above every other attacking force in the league. “An American is the best player in [Italy’s] league. That’s the reality,” Donovan said on Unfiltered Soccer, refusing to soften the statement.
This follows yet another defining moment: Pulisic’s match-winner in the fiercely contested Derby at San Siro. Milan needed the moment, and once again the American delivered. It is now widely accepted that his success is not a short-term burst — it is the continuation of a pattern that has spanned across domestic leagues and cups, Champions League campaigns, and World Cup tournaments.
Tim Howard, speaking alongside Donovan, echoed the sentiment with his own layer of conviction. “He stands up and is counted in big moments. And I feel like he always has been.” For a player once seen as a streak talent, the consistency is now the headline.
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What did Donovan and Howard say about Pulisic?
When speaking about the danger of normalizing brilliance, Donovan explained: “I’m not saying he’s [Lionel] Messi, but I’m saying in the same way we take what Messi does for granted… we’re taking Christian for granted in the prime of his career.” This is the line that shifts the discussion. Not merely praise. Not merely admiration. A warning.
Pulisic’s excellence, they argue, is becoming so regular that people stop noticing it. The comparison to Messi is not about ability — it is about expectations. They believe Serie A has come to rely on Pulisic’s output without truly acknowledging how extraordinary it is. And the statistics support it.
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Shift in legacy — and in American soccer history
The remarks from Donovan and Howard do not merely praise form; they indicate a broader recalibration. For years, the narrative surrounding American players in Europe has been about adaptation, opportunity, or the next step. Pulisic has shifted the conversation entirely. Across Milan, across Serie A, and across the U.S. soccer community, the realization is settling in: Christian Pulisic is no longer a promising American abroad. He is a defining player in one of Europe’s historic leagues.
For Donovan and Howard — whose own legacies once shaped the ceiling for American talent — this is the moment they finally align: the bar is no longer where it used to be. “You can argue he has been the best player in Serie A consistently over the last three years,” Donovan said. “And we take that for granted.”
