U.S. men's national team manager Mauricio Pochettino is set to announce his final, 26-player World Cup roster in just four days. As the clock winds down to the reveal, not every player in Pochettino’s pool of contenders is feeling assured of their spot on soccer’s grandest stage.
One of those players is center back Miles Robinson. The FC Cincinnati star defender has 38 caps with the senior national team since his debut back in 2019, making him a probable inclusion for the tournament. However, there is a plethora of talented center backs at Pochettino’s fingertips, which puts Robinson’s fate in question, as does his injury history.
The 29-year-old last featured for the Stars and Stripes in November, clocking 90 minutes in the U.S.’s 2–1 win over Paraguay. He was an unused substitute in the following friendly against Uruguay, underscoring the wealth of options at Pochettino’s disposal, which include Tim Ream, Auston Trusty, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie and Alex Freeman.
Robinson was called up to the USMNT’s most recent March international window, but had to miss out due to a groin injury. Injury also kept him home for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as Robinson ruptured his left Achilles tendon in March of that year, knocking him out of contention. Robinson’s latest injury came just last month, as he missed three MLS matches due to a separate leg injury.
Robinson says he is feeling healthy now and has returned to Cincinnati’s starting lineup. His main focus is staying grounded, despite the anticipation of Pochettino’s big roster announcement and the perennial wondering if he has done enough to prove himself to the Argentine boss.
“Definitely grateful to be back from injury and feeling strong,” Robinson says “Overall, I am definitely happy.”
How Robinson handles the nerves
Pochettino will announce the highly anticipated roster to a live audience of fans at Pier 17 in New York City on May 26. The following day, the squad will gather for a pre-World Cup camp ahead of preparatory friendlies against Germany and Senegal. The U.S. kicks off tournament play on June 12 against Group D foe Paraguay in Los Angeles.
“It’s always kind of in the back of my mind,” Robinson says about the impending announcement. “But I realized I’m the best player and person when I really focus on the present and taking care of business in the moment. Recognizing that the moment is king, and whatever happens in the future is not important right now. So I try to continue to play and live by those type of rules.
“I don’t want to think about it too much and almost jinx myself,” he adds.
For Robinson, staying in the present is almost like a meditative process.
“As long as I can continue to be completely dialed and grounded in on the moment, then I know I can be a good player and good person both on and off the field,” he says. “It’s when you take the situation for granted, or take the moment for granted, or almost kind of overthink the future, that’s when you get in some trouble.”
The honor of a lifetime
While Robinson’s priority is keeping nerves in check, it’s also important to acknowledge the weight of the opportunity to represent his country on home soil. It’s big for the country, too.
“It’s an insane opportunity for the U.S. in general, just to bridge the gap between so many different cultures and communities and people, just recognizing that the whole world is almost stopping to watch a tournament,” he says. “It helps us to recognize that we are more alike than unlike. That’s the type of thought process that can really push society and the world forward.
“If I knew I was in this situation when I was seven, I would look at my current self in awe,” he adds.
Should Robinson make the final roster, he and his U.S. teammates will conclude Group D play against Australia and Türkiye in Seattle and Los Angeles, respectively, before looking ahead to the knockout stages.
