Christian Pulisic and Chelsea win UEFA Champions League final

Hershey, Pennsylvania native Christian Pulisic was crowned a champion of Europe on Saturday thanks to a 1-0 Chelsea win over Premier League rivals Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League final in Porto, Portugal.

Pulisic didn’t start the match but he was there at the end to see it out after coming off the bench in the 66th minute with Chelsea up 1-0 on a first half goal from Kai Havertz.

The 22-year-old PA Classics Academy alum nearly connected on a goal that would’ve iced the game on a counter attack seven minutes after coming on but his shot was wide of the post.

He became the first male American to play in the final of the UEFA Champions League and the second to collect a winners medal. LA Galaxy Technical Director Jovan Kirosvki played for Borussia Dortmund in their 1997 Champions League title campaign.

Bethlehem, Pa. native Gina Lewandowski was the first player from Pennsylvania to be crowned a champion of Europe when she won the women’s UEFA Champions League final with Frankfurt in 2008.

Pulisic’s parents, Mark and Kelley, were there to celebrate with the U.S. international. Mark Pulisic starred for the Harrisburg Heat from 1991-1999 and was the head coach of the men’s (1993-2005) and women’s (1996-2005) teams at Lebanon Valley College and an assistant with the Harrisburg City Islanders (2003-2004).