French forward Olivier Giroud got to play with Christian Pulisic at both Chelsea and AC Milan so he knows firsthand what the U.S. men’s national team attacker has in his arsenal.
Pulisic was influential in his 45-minute shift on Friday as the USMNT rolled past Paraguay 4-1 in their FIFA World Cup Group D opener in Los Angeles. The veteran playmaker helped forced an own goal for the Americans’ opening goal of the match before also teeing up Folarin Balogun for his third-career World Cup assist.
Although Pulisic left the match early due to an apparent knock to his calf, his presence was felt throughout the team, leading by example in a memorable victory.
Pulisic and Giroud featured in 80 matches together throughout their time in London and Milan, lifting a UEFA Champions League title with the Blues. While the duo aren’t playing together anymore, the mutual respect remains there, with Giroud having high praise for the in-form Pulisic.
“Christian reminded me of Eden Hazard, with the way he took on opponents and found it easy to dribble past people,” Giroud said in a column he wrote for BBC Sport. “I played as a target man and I needed some pace and movement around me — someone like [Pulisic] playing in the pocket between the lines and getting on the ball, looking for me and feeding off my flick-ons.
“I was not surprised at how well he played against Paraguay because I think that he has got what it takes to take the U.S. team to the next level over the next few weeks,” he added.
Pulisic will now fight to be ready for Friday’s USMNT-Australia showdown in Seattle, Washington, knowing three points would likely seal the Americans’ spot into the Round of 16.