Chris Richards Faces Uncertainty Ahead of World Cup Due to Ankle Injury
Chris Richards, defender for the U.S. men's national team, will miss the pre-World Cup friendly against Senegal on Sunday due to an ankle injury. This setback raises concerns about his availability for the World Cup, which begins in just 14 days. Richards sustained the injury during Crystal Palace's draw against Brentford on May 17. Consequently, he missed the club's Premier League finale against Arsenal and the UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano, despite being on the bench for the latter. He joined the USMNT's training camp in Atlanta but did not participate in practices on Friday or Saturday. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that the decision to keep Richards out of the friendly was made in consultation with medical staff. He stated, "We decided with Chris, with the medical staff and the performance team for him not to be part of today, the group." Richards will remain in Atlanta to continue his rehabilitation, with plans to reassess his condition next week. Pochettino expressed his eagerness for updates on Richards' recovery but noted that it is too early to provide a timeline for his return. "The next few days are going to be key to see the possibility, to see if he's ready or not for the World Cup," he remarked. World Cup squads must be submitted to FIFA by Monday, but teams can make last-minute changes if a player is injured before their first match.
Source: CBS Sports - 2026-05-30