Christian Pulisic’s 266-day and 19 games wait is over at Milan: How long has it been since his last USMNT goal?

The dark clouds have finally parted over Christian Pulisic as the Milsn ace has finally shattered a grueling 266-day, 19-match drought that tested his very resolve. Yet, amid the triumph of his club resurgence, a lingering shadow remains over his international legacy: When did the American talisman last find the back of the net for the United States? The stark answer unveils a prolonged and arduous struggle that has quietly haunted his 2026 campaign.

The American returned to the scoresheet spectacularly against Lecce, producing a moment of quality that immediately changed the mood around him. After months of injuries, missed opportunities and uncertainty with the national team, Pulisic finally had something positive to celebrate.

Pulisic’s breakthrough came just 14 minutes into Milan‘s 3-0 victory over Lecce on September 20. Strahinja Pavlovic launched a long ball over the rival’s defense, and Pulisic raced into the box before controlling it brilliantly and firing a first-time finish past Wladimiro Falcone. What’s more, the goal carried even greater significance because of what had come before it.

The 28-year-old forward had been waiting months for another competitive goal with the Rossoneri. He had also returned to the starting lineup for the first time under Ruben Amorim, making his performance even more encouraging. He continued to threaten throughout the match and was eventually named Player of the Match after an influential display.

The numbers behind Pulisic’s long wait

Pulisic’s previous Milan goal had arrived against Hellas Verona on December 28, 2025. His goal against Lecce therefore ended a 266-day club scoring drought, during which he went through roughly 19 matches without scoring for Milan.

The American had taken 39 Serie A shots without finding the net before finally converting his 40th attempt against Lecce. He had also gone through the first half of 2026 without scoring for the Red and Blacks, with injuries repeatedly disrupting his momentum.

Pulisic admitted that the period had been difficult after the game. “It’s been a difficult 2026 for me and the team,” he told DAZN, before adding with a smile: “I ran too much! I’m very tired.”

When did Pulisic last score for the USMNT?

The answer came several months before his Milan breakthrough. Pulisic last scored for the USMNT on May 31, 2026, when he found the net in a 3-2 friendly victory over Senegal in Charlotte.

Pulisic also registered an assist in that match, ending an international scoring drought that had stretched back to November 2024. It was an important performance at a time when he was still searching for consistency with both club and country.

His international form then became more complicated during the 2026 World Cup. Pulisic featured in the United States’ tournament matches but did not score, recording one assist before his campaign was disrupted by injury.

His post-World Cup drought with USMNT continues after latest snub

Following the Senegal friendly, Pulisic failed to score in the United States’ subsequent matches against Germany, Paraguay, Australia, Turkiye and Bosnia and Herzegovina. That left him with a current international scoring drought of 114 days and five games as of September 22.

He missed the Round of 16 meeting with Belgium because of the injury he suffered during the tournament. Pulisic was then left out of the national team’s September camp, despite returning to action for Milan.

Mauricio Pochettino offered no specific explanation for the omission. “The 28 players that are going to be involved in these four games, for different circumstances, are the best players that — or the players that we want to see, and we want to work (with), and that’s it,” the USMNT coach said.