Chris Richards, the best defender for the United States, is uncertain for the World Cup because of an ankle injury and will miss Sunday’s warmup game against Senegal in Charlotte.
Richards tore two left ankle ligaments while playing for Crystal Palace on May 17. He arrived at U.S. training camp Friday, after Palace won the Europa Conference League final in a game he did not play in, and was assessed further by the medical and performance staff.
‘We need to see,’ U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Saturday in a nervous update on one of his most vital players. ‘The next few days are going to be key, to see the possibility to be ready or not on the World Cup.’
Pochettino said he has been anxious to learn whether Richards will be available and repeatedly inquired of Richards’ status with Jesus Perez, his first assistant coach.
‘I was asking … 100 times, what do you think?’ Pochettino said. ‘The answer was wait, wait, wait, wait.’
Twenty-six man rosters must be submitted to FIFA by June 1 and the U.S. can replace injured players until June 11.
The United States are concerned that defender Chris Richards could miss the World Cup
The 26-year-old damaged ankle ligaments earlier in May and is missing a warmup game
Pochettino said he has asked his assistants ‘100 times’ for their vedict on Ricahrds’ injuryÂ
Central defender is a position where the U.S. do not boast an array of depth. Captain Tim Ream, Auston Trusty, Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson are other central defenders on the roster that Pochettino announced for the tournament in New York on Tuesday.
Vancouver’s Tristan Blackmon and Toronto’s Walker Zimmerman, a member of the 2022 U.S. World Cup team, would be possible replacements.
Richards, 26, missed the 2022 World Cup because of a hamstring injury. He was going to remain in Fayetteville and not travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, for Sunday’s game.
‘I think he needs to keep doing his rehab and I think it’s much better to stay here and plan to train and re-evaluate next week how he is,’ Pochettino added.
The United States have another warmup game, against Germany on June 6, before they begin the competition against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12.
They fly to Seattle for their second group game, where they play Australia on June 19.
Pochettino’s men round out the group stage on June 25, back in Los Angeles, against Turkey.Â
