Tomorrow sees the curtain raiser on the 2021/22 season for Chelsea FC, as they’ll battle Sevilla in UEFA Super Cup. The start of a new term will also bring the initiation of a new era for attacking midfielder (or perhaps playing in a deeper role) midfielder Christian Pulisic.
Monday brought news that the face of the United States Men’s National Team (currently in his first full preseason with Chelsea) signed a new deal with sportswear giant Puma, and that he’ll be wearing new, customized Puma Ultra 1.3s in the trophy match on Wednesday night.
JUST IN: PUMA announced the signing of Chelsea and USMNT superstar Christian Pulisic to a long-term deal. Pulisic will be wearing PUMA’s new ULTRA 1.3 on the pitch. pic.twitter.com/xOIn51MnDn
— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) August 9, 2021
“Puma just fit in with exactly the message that I want to send,” Pulisic said in an interview with Complex Sports.
“I think we’re trying to inspire players just to get out and play any way they can and play the game and grow the game of soccer in America. And it lined up exactly with what I was feeling and it just seemed like a perfect fit.”
While he has said that he isn’t a fan of his Capt. America nickname, his new shows definitely have a star spangled, USA theme to complement their red, white and blue color scheme.
Christian Pulisic has signed a long-term boot deal with PUMA.
The partnership will see PUMA support the USMNT star in growing participation in America and inspiring the next generation ? pic.twitter.com/IUB8rPoZC0
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 9, 2021
Note what they did with the first two letters, as both Pulisic and Puma are words that begin with “PU.” The 22-year-old added:
“They’ve actually created my own, basically this signature [logo]. It’s a really cool graphic that they did for me. And I was blown away right when I saw it to mix with the name and the brand.”
There is currently a Pulisic Puma billboard outside Stamford Bridge, where the Blues will open the season on Saturday against Crystal Palace.
Pulisic has said, earlier this preseason, that his main goal for this season is to be more consistent.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.