UEFA Europa League · Midfielder · #0 · Canada · 42 yrs
The USMNT star has reportedly been included in Milan’s UEFA Europa League squad, adding another major competition to his schedule while the Rossoneri look to turn an ambitious summer into a successful campaign. Christian Pulisic is preparing for another European adventure with Milan as Ruben Amorim begins a new chapter at the club. The USMNT star has reportedly been included in Milan’s UEFA Europa League squad, adding another major competition to his schedule while the Rossoneri look to turn an ambitious summer into a successful campaign. Milan has plenty to look forward to after opening the Serie A season with two victories over Torino and Venezia. The club also enters the Europa League among the teams capable of going deep in the competition, with a squad strengthened significantly during the summer transfer window. The draw has given the Rossoneri an interesting route through the league phase. Benfica, Olympiacos, Ferencvaros, Salzburg, Sunderland, Bournemouth, Ararat-Armenia and Levski Sofia are the eight opponents awaiting Amorim’s side. Ruben Amorim’s side will begin at home against Benfica on September 16 before travelling to Salzburg in October. The Rossoneri will then face Bournemouth away, Ferencvaros at San Siro, Olympiacos in Greece, Sunderland at home and finish the league phase with trips to Levski Sofia and a home meeting with Ararat-Armenia. 🗒️ Save the dates, our @EuropaLeague fixture is now official! pic.twitter.com/NLWRm0BfSU— AC Milan (@acmilan) August 29, 2026 The competition could represent Milan’s clearest route to European silverware. The club has not won a continental trophy since 2007, while the reduced presence of some of Europe’s strongest sides makes the Europa League an especially attractive opportunity. Pulisic’s incredible European streak continues Amid Milan’s European ambitions, Pulisic has quietly reached another remarkable career milestone. The American is set to be involved in either the Champions League or Europa League during every season of his professional career in Europe, as confirmed by Opta and UEFA’s data. The upcoming Europa League campaign will extend Pulisic’s streak to 11 consecutive seasons of appearances in UEFA’s elite European competitions. His run began with Borussia Dortmund before continuing through Chelsea and Milan, making the achievement even more impressive considering how young he was when he first broke into European soccer. Pulisic made his Europa League debut for Dortmund against Porto on February 18, 2016. He later experienced the Champions League at Chelsea, famously winning the competition in 2021, before continuing his European journey with Milan. His almost certain inclusion in Amorim’s Europa League squad means that extraordinary run is set to continue. According to MilanNews, Pulisic is listed as No. 11 among Milan’s attackers, alongside Goncalo Ramos, Cisse and Omari Hutchinson. Milan’s squad offers Pulisic another European stage The UEFA list contains 22 players on List A, with several younger players eligible through List B. Christian Pulisic is joined by established names including Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, giving Milan a blend of experience and youth. Christian Pulisic and Luka Modric of AC Milan The club will also rely on younger players such as Francesco Camarda, Davide Bartesaghi and Vladimirov, who can feature through the separate List B regulations. That balance could become important as the team manages Serie A, the Europa League and the Coppa Italia. For Pulisic, however, the story is already remarkable. From Dortmund to Chelsea and now Milan, the 11-season European streak is another reminder of the consistency the USMNT star has maintained throughout his career.
In today’s newsletter: how climate crisis is affecting athletes and what steps are being taken to protect them from rising temperaturesThe mercury-shattering European summer pants alongside us on the back straight, looming as we hug the shadows, sweaty sandals on the parched earth. Across Asia, Africa and North America, inhabitants have endured the warmest July of their lives.In Toronto, Alex Hutchinson, author of the bestseller Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance, has just come back from an early run. “Here I am in Canada, a famously frosty country, and my general take when I wrote ‘Endure’ in the 2010s was that heat was not that big a deal. Occasionally, people died of heat, often in the deep south of the US, often returning to football practise in August, when they were not prepared, but that was rare. Continue reading...
While Portugal's opening match ended in disappointment, a new headline emerged from Houston as Ronaldo reached yet another landmark that further strengthened his remarkable legacy. The debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has followed soccer for nearly two decades, and the 2026 World Cup has added another fascinating chapter to their historic rivalry. While Portugal’s opening match ended in disappointment, a new headline emerged from Houston as Ronaldo reached yet another landmark that further strengthened his remarkable legacy. The result itself was far from ideal for Portugal, which was held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in its opening Group K fixture. Yet amid the frustration, attention quickly shifted toward a milestone that could keep Ronaldo’s name in the record books for years to come, while leaving Messi with one more achievement to pursue. The Selecao das Quinas entered the tournament with high expectations and appeared to be on course for victory when Joao Neves gave the side an early lead. However, DR Congo responded brilliantly, with Yoane Wissa scoring the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal to secure a historic point. Despite controlling possession, Portugal struggled to convert dominance into meaningful chances. The African side remained organized throughout the contest and frustrated Roberto Martinez’s team with disciplined defending and effective counterattacks. The draw leaves Group K wide open ahead of Portugal’s upcoming matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia. Ronaldo reaches another historic World Cup milestone While the result disappointed Portuguese supporters, the match itself marked another extraordinary achievement for Ronaldo. The Portugal captain joined Lionel Messi as only the second player in soccer history to appear in six different FIFA World Cups. The milestone further cemented his place among the sport’s most enduring stars. The achievement arrived during what is already becoming one of the most memorable World Cups ever staged. Messi had grabbed headlines less than 24 hours earlier after scoring a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria, once again proving why he remains one of soccer’s greatest performers. Yet Ronaldo responded by creating a piece of history of his own. Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal. The record that Messi will chase next The biggest talking point from Ronaldo’s appearance was the age-related record he established. Aged 41 years and 132 days, Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to start a match in FIFA World Cup history, according to Opta. The previous record belonged to Canada’s Atiba Hutchinson, who started a World Cup match at 39 years and 296 days during the 2022 tournament. 41 – Aged 41 years and 132 days, 🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo is the oldest outfield player to start a match in FIFA World Cup history.Timeless. pic.twitter.com/HpjlY4PTs4— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 17, 2026 Only a handful of outfield players have ever appeared at a World Cup after turning 40. Cameroon legend Roger Milla famously played at the 1994 World Cup at age 42, although his appearances came as a substitute. The milestone means Messi still has a significant record left to chase. The Argentina captain will turn 39 shortly on June 24. Thus, if he somehow extends his career until the 2030 World Cup at the age of 43, he could potentially surpass Ronaldo’s age-related achievement.
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