FA Cup final highlights: Christian Pulisic makes history with Chelsea goal

Goal

FA Cup final highlights: Christian Pulisic makes history with Chelsea goal image

Christian Pulisic made history Saturday with his early FA Cup final goal to put Chelsea ahead against Arsenal.

He became the youngest man to score in the fixture since Cristiano Ronaldo 16 years ago. He is also the first U.S. international to score a goal in the men's FA Cup final

Pulisic, 21, featured from the start at Wembley as the Blues looked to regain the FA Cup they lifted in the 2017-18 season. 

MORE: FA Cup final live updates from Chelsea vs. Arsenal

And he gave his side the perfect start, converting from close range past Emiliano Martinez after just five minutes with the Gunners defense caught flat-footed. 

The former Borussia Dortmund prodigy is only the third United States international to have appeared in English football's historic showpiece clash, after Sheffield Wednesday's John Harkes in 1993 and Tim Howard, who represented both Manchester United (2004) and Everton (2007) in the clash. 

Neither of those stars had managed to score in a final, making Pulisic as the first to do so among his compatriots. 

Pulisic's strike was also Chelsea's fastest in an FA Cup final since Roberto Di Matteo hit the net with less than a minute on the clock against Middlesbrough back in 1997. 

At just 21 years and 318 days, meanwhile, he is the youngest man to score in the fixture since Cristiano Ronaldo, who was aged 19 years and 106 days when he opened the scoring for Manchester United against Millwall in 2004's edition at the Millennium Stadium. 

The US international's feat did not go unnoticed, with several of his USMNT colleagues and many observers taking to social media in order to pay tribute to his special talents.

Goal

Goal Photo

Goal.com is the premier destination for football fans across the globe, with all the best news, transfer updates, analysis and highlights.

Goal.com and The Sporting News are partnering to bring you insights into the game like never before.