Johnny Cardoso, a midfielder for the United States national team, has suffered a sprained right ankle, as confirmed by his club, Atlético Madrid, on Thursday. This injury comes just five weeks before the upcoming World Cup.
The club reported that Cardoso was injured during practice, sustaining what they described as a “high-grade sprain of his right ankle,” and will now undergo rehabilitation. No timeline has been provided for his recovery.
This latest injury adds to a series of setbacks for Cardoso in his first season at Atlético, having already dealt with an ankle injury in September and a knee bruise in December.
However, since the calendar year began, Cardoso had seen an increase in his playing time, totaling 23 appearances to date.
He also made his mark with the USMNT, starting in a friendly match against Belgium in late March.
Cardoso appeared to be in a strong position to be included in the World Cup roster, potentially as a starter.
Unfortunately, it now seems unlikely he will recover in time to join the World Cup squad, which will be announced in New York on May 26.
This injury opens opportunities for several players who were on the cusp of making the U.S. roster.
Sebastian Berhalter of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Aidan Morris from Middlesbrough could step in as potential replacements if coach Mauricio Pochettino decides to go for a similar midfield setup.
Alternatively, if Pochettino opts for a more attacking approach and decides to take four central midfielders, players like Alejandro Zendejas from Club América and Diego Luna from Real Salt Lake could also be considered for roster spots.
With four rounds remaining in LaLiga, Atlético Madrid is aiming for a top-four finish.
The U.S. team is set to kick off its World Cup campaign against Paraguay on June 13 in Inglewood, California, with matches against Australia and Turkey following in Group D.
At 24 years old, Cardoso has made 23 appearances for the U.S. since his debut in 2020.
In other news, Atlético Madrid was recently eliminated by Arsenal in the semifinals of the Champions League.
Contributions to this report were made by Jeff Carlisle and The Associated Press.