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Yunus Musah Makes Compelling Plea to Return to Mauricio Pochettino’s Good Graces

The 23-year-old American, previously deemed the bright future of the U.S. men’s national team, was scratched off manager Mauricio Pochettino’s shortlist.
Sophia Vesely
Yunus Musah has won the heart of new AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim.
Yunus Musah has won the heart of new AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim. / Sara Cavallini/Getty Images

It’s never too late for new beginnings.

23-year-old Yunus Musah is back with AC Milan and seemingly in the favor of new manager Ruben Amorim. He’s been given a chance to rebuild his unstable career, an opportunity he has already begun to capitalize on.

The American midfielder, once deemed the bright future of the U.S. men’s national team as a teenager, has since experienced a tumultous fall from the highest rungs of the soccer ladder. He went from having a promising breakout at La Liga’s Valencia at just 19 years old and earning starts in all four matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to simply fighting for spare minutes with Atalanta and missing out on the 2026 World Cup on home turf entirely.

He started just five of 38 total Serie A matches last year with Atalanta, whom he joined on loan from Milan at the start of the season, and played 561 total league minutes. For comparison, fellow American midfielder Weston McKennie, who also plays in Serie A for Juventus and starred for the USMNT this summer, played 2,841 league minutes in over 30 starts.

Musah hasn’t featured for the Stars and Stripes in over a year, last taking the pitch in March 2025 for a brief cameo in the Concacaf Nations League third-place match against Canada.

His continued absence from USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino’s international rotation may not only be a product of dwindling club minutes in recent years, but also of his decision to bow out of the Concacaf Gold Cup in the summer of 2025, citing mental and physical fatigue from his previous season with Milan. It was a decision that club teammate and fellow American Christian Pulisic also controversially made.

musah fighting for the ball
Musah’s last outing for the Stars and Stripes was against Canada on March 23, 2025. / Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Pochettino may be inclined to reconsider Musah’s place within his plans, though, if the young player continues to operate as he did on Sunday in Milan’s season opener. Musah logged 90 minutes in the 2–1 win against Torino, seemingly winning the trust of the former Manchester United manager to command the center of the park.

Musah was integral to opening the Rossoneri’s scoring just after the hour mark, performing a skillful turn on the ball at midfield before darting down the center of the pitch. He found Adrien Rabiot open on the wing, who was able to slot it into Alphadjo Cissè. Although Cissè buried the shot, Musah was ready inside the six-yard box to pounce on the rebound, if necessary.

“There are moments in your career when you need coaches who remember you, what you’ve done and what you’re capable of doing. I then repay that trust on the pitch,” Musah said postgame.

Luka Modrić made a second-half appearance, substituting on for Musah’s double pivot partner, Ardon Jashari, in the 56th minute. When Modrić, 41 next month, works back up to greater minutes for Milan, it could come at the expense of some time for Musah. Nevertheless, as long as Musah remains consistent in his play, he stands a chance of reinvigorating his image in the eyes of Pochettino.

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Yunus Musah on the Pitch, Christian Pulisic on the Bench

Pulisic face
Christian Pulisic did not see the field in Sunday’s opener. / Image Photo Agency/Getty Images

While Musah experienced a career up-turn on Sunday night, Christian Pulisic still awaits his.

The American winger found himself on Milan’s bench at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, no longer listed as injured, but still not fit enough to return to full action.

The 29-year-old USMNT star suffered an unfortunate fluke accident in the World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium in early July, kicking the back of his opponent’s foot instead of the ball itself. It resulted in a bone bruise and a micro-fracture of his tibia/fibula, causing him to miss the entirety of Milan’s preseason. He made his return to training last Tuesday, taking part in a few speed and agility drills in the early part of the session.

Pulisic could make his season debut when the Rossoneri return to action on Friday against Venezia. If so, he will be looking to make an immediate impact, after enduring a disappointing World Cup performance and a career-worst goal-less drought last spring.

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