Chris Richards will miss the United States’ final friendly against Germany ahead of the World Cup, as confirmed by head coach Mauricio Pochettino during a press briefing on Friday.
With further evaluations pending, the defender’s availability for the upcoming tournament appears increasingly uncertain.
“He’s not yet prepared to compete and play,” Pochettino stated on Friday. “We anticipate an opportunity in the coming days to evaluate his condition and make a decision regarding his ankle.”
Richards sustained an ankle injury during Crystal Palace’s penultimate Premier League match against Brentford. While specific details about the injury remain unclear, Palace manager Oliver Glasner indicated that the defender has torn ligaments in his ankle. Consequently, he missed the final league match against Arsenal and the Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano. Prior to the Arsenal game, Glasner had suggested that Richards might be available for the European final, leading to a more optimistic outlook on his readiness for the World Cup, bolstered by reports suggesting that his camp was confident about his participation in the tournament.
On Friday, Pochettino expressed belief that Richards was making progress towards match fitness, referencing Glasner’s earlier comments regarding the defender’s potential involvement in the Conference League final.
As the days tick down to the World Cup, Pochettino and his staff face the urgent task of assessing the readiness of a crucial player, especially with the group stage kicking off on June 12 against Paraguay.
“At one point, we were led to believe he could play in the Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano,” Pochettino elaborated in Spanish. “He was on the substitutes’ bench, remember? After that, we thought he might be available for the game against Senegal. Unfortunately, the timelines are stretching, which frustrates me. I’m not happy because we are all aware of Chris Richards’s importance to the team.”
During the pre-World Cup camp, Richards worked on his rehabilitation away from the main group until a training session at the National Training Center on Wednesday, where he joined his teammates on the field. While the rest participated in standard pre-training activities, Richards was seen on a separate field with two trainers, focusing on resistance band exercises to enhance his lateral movement.
“We will never make a decision to play a player who carries any risk,” Pochettino emphasized on Friday. “We prefer to avoid taking risks. That’s why all players who start or come off the bench must be fully healthy and fit for play.”
Potential Replacements for Richards
With Richards sidelined during last weekend’s 3-2 victory against Senegal, Mark McKenzie stepped into the center-back role. Tim Ream played from the left side, while Alex Freeman provided support from a deeper position during defensive phases.
Richards’s uncertain status highlights the number of defenders Pochettino selected for his 26-man squad, including five center-backs and additional wide defenders capable of filling in centrally. This group has had ample time to build chemistry and cohesion before the tournament, reducing the urgency to find a direct replacement for Richards if he is unable to participate in the World Cup.
World Cup teams are permitted to make medically necessary adjustments to their rosters until 24 hours prior to their group-stage opener. Pochettino has until June 11 to decide whether Richards will remain part of his plans for the tournament.
“Ultimately, we hope Chris can be there,” Pochettino remarked. “However, we must consider a player who hasn’t competed for a month, and we need to determine if he is fit enough to play. There isn’t much time left before the World Cup.”
