Moving to England taught Pulisic a lesson

CHRISTIAN PULISIC has compared his move from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea last summer as being a lot like changing schools.

The American (above) needed time to adapt as he got to grips with his new surroundings. He had to earn the respect of his new teacher and classmates while settling into a culture that was alien to him.

A year on, though, and not only does he no longer feel like the new kid, but with the performances he’s putting in he is pushing to be head boy.

The 21-year-old, who cost Chelsea £54million, said: “That was my first big move and I really didn’t know what to expect. I went in with an open mind.

“But obviously there are nerves and it’s kind of just proving you can play a little bit, that’s the big thing.

“The first couple of days when you’re the new guy, not everyone is going to be your best friend right away, and that’s okay, but I really felt like once I could show I could play, that was when the guys were like, ‘This kid’s good, he can hang with us and we’ll treat him with a bit more respect.’

“That’s crazy to say but it’s true of a lot of professional environments.

“It’s like anything, when you move to a new school when you are little and you make that first friend, you finally feel that little bit better.”

The approval of his team-mates gave Pulisic the belief he needed and at times it has looked like Chelsea could have found the man to fill the void left by Eden Hazard at the first attempt.

His form since the restart in particular has been right up there, with three goals and three assists in seven games putting Chelsea on the brink of a Champions League finish.

Speaking to US radio station SiriusXM FC, Pulisic said: “Confidence is just a huge thing for me, having confidence from your coach, your team-mates, everyone around you, and I’m definitely feeling that right now.”