Poch Frustrated as…

CHICAGO — United States coach Mauricio Pochettino voiced his frustration upon learning that first-choice center back Chris Richards will miss the squad’s last friendly before the World Cup due to an ankle injury.

Richards sustained ligament damage in his ankle during a Crystal Palace match against Brentford on May 17. At that time, Palace’s manager Oliver Glasner remained optimistic about Richards playing in the Conference League final on May 27, but he ended up as an unused substitute.

– Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT firing helped pave the way for son Sebastian’s World Cup dream
– Predicting every game of the entire World Cup: All the teams and all the winners
– Dest ‘surprised’ by pro-U.S. crowd in USMNT win

Richards was not included in the U.S. squad for their first warm-up match against Senegal on Sunday and will also miss the upcoming fixture against Germany on Saturday in Chicago.

There are now concerns about whether he will be ready for the World Cup opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on June 12. Pochettino expressed his dissatisfaction with the information that Crystal Palace provided regarding the seriousness of Richards’ injury.

“When we finalized our roster, we expected Chris would be able to play in the Conference League final since we had submitted the list before that and had information suggesting he could participate,” Pochettino stated during a press conference on Friday.

“Next, we thought he would be fit to play against Senegal. But today, we learned that his recovery will take longer than anticipated. It’s frustrating, and I am not pleased because Chris Richards is a critical player, as we all know.”

Regarding Richards’ inclusion in the 26-man World Cup roster amid uncertainty about his injury, Pochettino remarked, “Perhaps we relied on information that was not accurate for making our best decision. Now, here we are facing our second game, and he is unavailable.”

He added: “Ultimately, we can only hope Chris will be ready, but we must make a decision based on his fitness.”

Richards has emerged as a key player and leader in a position noted to be one of the more shallow areas of the USMNT player pool. Crystal Palace averaged 1.46 points per game when he played this season, compared to 1.20 when he did not.

His absence on Saturday ensures that key U.S. players Richards, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, and Sergiño Dest will have appeared in the same match only once in the entire cycle since the last World Cup— during a 2-0 Concacaf Nations League victory over Mexico in March 2024.

Saturday’s sendoff match will see the U.S. face a renowned opponent in Germany, a team they last confronted in East Hartford, Connecticut, in October 2023. Pulisic gave the U.S. an early lead, but goals from Ilkay Gündogan, Niklas Füllkrug, and Jamal Musiala led to a 3-1 defeat. The match featured several starters who have since been selected for the U.S. World Cup roster.

“That game highlighted their quality, but it also showcased ours,” McKennie reflected. “We played well and had opportunities to win.”

According to McKennie, the atmosphere in the U.S. camp is positive, and Richards appears to be making strides toward recovery.

“We’re all really excited,” he mentioned. “It’s a significant opportunity for many of us, and Chris Richards is on the right track to rejoining the squad. Everyone has faith in his recovery and in what the coaching staff deems appropriate.

“He’s an essential part of our group. His energy and leadership on and off the field are invaluable. We all support him and look forward to having him back with us.”

Richards participated in practice with the team on Friday and was able to complete all drills during the media-accessible portion of the session.