Chris Richards won't travel for USMNT friendly as ankle injury clouds World Cup preparations for breakout star

The United States’ men’s nationalist squad already has a awesome wounded mobility people earlier nan 2026 FIFA World Cup moreover kicks off.

Chris Richards, nan 26-year-old who galore judge is nan champion defender connected nan USMNT heading into nan tournament, won’t beryllium walking for nan team’s world friends against Senegal connected Sunday.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino said that Richards is dealing pinch an ankle wounded that has kept him retired of Crystal Palace’s past 2 matches of nan season. And moreover worse for fans, there’s presently nary nationalist timetable for his return.

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Chris Richards of nan United States prepares earlier nan Gold Cup lucifer against Haiti astatine AT&T Stadium successful Arlington, Texas, connected June 22, 2025. The United States won 2-1. (Shaun Clark/Getty Images)

"I deliberation he needs to support doing his rehab," Pochettino said, per nan New York Post. "I deliberation it’s overmuch amended to enactment present and scheme to train and [see] adjacent week really it is."

The "here" Pochettino speaks of is nan USMNT training installation successful Atlanta, which is wherever Richards is staying while his teammates caput to Charlotte, North Carolina, for their matchup pinch Senegal.

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Richards besides wasn’t coming for nan team’s 26-man roster uncover successful New York City past week, sending a video connection alternatively arsenic he stayed pinch Crystal Palace for its European last lucifer successful Germany. He didn’t play successful nan lucifer contempt being disposable arsenic a sub.

Richards has yet to train pinch nan USMNT, and Pochettino didn’t look excessively optimistic he would beryllium fresh for nan team’s first lucifer against Paraguay connected June 12 successful Los Angeles.

Chris Richards, wearing jersey number 3, plays for nan United States during an world friends shot lucifer against Japan astatine Lower.com Field successful Columbus, Ohio, connected Sept. 9, 2025. (Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)

"I was asking from yesterday erstwhile he arrived to [assistant coach] Jesús [Pérez] 100 times, 'What do you think, what do you think, which statement we have'" Pochettino explained. "Wait, wait, wait, wait. The reply was 'Wait, wait, wait.' It’s excessively early. We request to see. The adjacent fewer days are going to beryllium cardinal to spot nan possibilities to beryllium fresh aliases not for nan World Cup."

While it’s not expected Richards will beryllium taken disconnected nan roster, FIFA requires each 48 teams to finalize their 26-man squads by June. Teams tin still make injury-related roster changes up to 24 hours earlier their first match.

The USMNT will effort to get their chemistry and method skills successful cheque against Senegal, while besides facing Germany successful a pre-World Cup friends earlier heading to Los Angeles for nan commencement of their Group D schedule.

After Paraguay, nan U.S. will person Australia successful Seattle connected June 19, followed by Türkiye successful their last group shape lucifer connected June 25 backmost astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood, California.

Chris Richards trains pinch nan United States men's nationalist shot squad astatine Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground successful Marietta, Ga., connected March 26, 2026. (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

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But a important mobility people remains astatine 1 of nan astir important positions connected nan section for nan USMNT: halfway back. Richards is simply a earthy fresh there, but nan extent down him is acold little convincing, moreover aft Pochettino sacrificed immoderate attacking options to bolster nan defense connected his roster.

Richards was expected to commencement each lucifer for nan U.S. moreover earlier nan roster was finalized, truthful it will beryllium absorbing to spot really his wounded progresses person to nan first lucifer connected June 12.

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