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Mauricio Pochettino sounds alarm on Chris Richards injury By Tylor Brooks | USA Herald

United States Men’s National Team manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Saturday that star defender Chris Richards will not travel for Sunday’s international friendly against Senegal in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 26-year-old center back remains sidelined in Atlanta with a lingering ankle injury, throwing the American defensive backline into chaos just two weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on home soil.

World Cup opener in jeopardy for top defender

The Crystal Palace defender has yet to participate in a single training session with the national team since arriving at the Atlanta training facility. Richards missed the final two matches of the English Premier League season and remained on the bench during his club's recent European final in Germany.

Pochettino openly expressed anxiety over whether his projected starting center back will recover in time for the tournament opener against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles. The manager admitted he is constantly pressing his medical staff for updates on the breakout star's physical condition.

“I was asking from yesterday when he arrived to Jesús Pérez 100 times, 'What do you think, what do you think, which formation we have,'” Pochettino said. “Wait, wait, wait, wait. The answer was 'Wait, wait, wait.' It's too early. We need to see. The next few days are going to be key to see the possibilities to be ready or not for the World Cup.”

Instead of traveling to North Carolina with the rest of the 26-man roster, Richards is staying behind to focus entirely on his rehabilitation program. Pochettino emphasized that traveling would only hinder the player's recovery timeline.

“I think he needs to keep doing his rehab,” Pochettino stated. “I think it's much better to stay here and plan to train and see next week how it is.”

Defensive depth tested as FIFA roster deadline looms

The timing of the injury places immense pressure on the USMNT coaching staff. While U.S. Soccer does not expect to remove Richards from the official squad list, the clock is ticking loudly.

FIFA regulations mandate that all 48 participating nations finalize their 26-player rosters by early June. However, tournament rules do permit federations to replace injured players up to 24 hours before their opening group stage match.

Richards is widely considered the most talented and irreplaceable defensive asset on the American roster. Behind him, the drop-off in international experience is steep, a reality that forced Pochettino to leave off several dynamic attacking players last week in order to carry extra defensive coverage.

The Americans face a grueling preparation schedule before entering Group D play. Following Sunday’s test against Senegal, the U.S. will square off against powerhouse Germany in a final tune-up match.

The true test begins June 12 at SoFi Stadium against Paraguay. The USMNT then travels to Seattle to face Australia on June 19, before returning to Southern California on June 25 to close out the group stage against Türkiye. Whether Richards will anchor that backline remains the biggest question mark in American soccer.