U.S. men’s national team star center back Chris Richards will not be available for the send-off international friendly against Germany in Chicago on Saturday, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Richards suffered two torn ligaments in his ankle last month during Crystal Palace’s Premier League match against Brentford, fighting through the pain to see out the final whistle before limping off the field. He has been sidelined ever since, even missing Palace’s Europa Conference League title victory against La Liga’s Rayo Vallecano.
Although the 26-year-old has returned to the training pitch, beginning with an individual session off to the side on Tuesday, he is not game ready. With just one week until the USMNT kicks off 2026 FIFA World Cup play on home soil, the likelihood of seeing the USMNT’s defensive stalwart on the backline is growing more and more uncertain.
“Well, today he was training, but still he’s not ready to compete and to play,” Pochettino said on Friday. “We have, after that game [against Germany], the possibility in the next few days to assess him and see his ankle, his revolution and then to make a decision.
“At the moment, he is still doing his recovery and is not available.”
Who Could Replace Chris Richards?
No other USMNT center back could truly “replace” Richards, whose aerial capabilities, ball-winning skills and poise on the backline are unparalleled. Nevertheless, Pochettino may be forced to lean on a replacement.
All FIFA World Cup rosters were finalized as of June 1; however, nations have the ability to make injury-related swaps up until 24 hours prior to their first group stage match. The USMNT kick off Group D on June 12 against Paraguay, meaning a decision on Richards’s availability will need to be made by June 11, which is next Thursday.
Mark McKenzie, 27, replaced Richards in the starting three-back of Pochettino’s lineup in Sunday’s friendly against Senegal, a confidence-building 3–2 victory. He had a solid outing across 45 minutes, making two defensive contributions and staying away from mistakes throughout the first half. After a solid campaign in Ligue 1 play this season as a consistent starter for Toulouse, McKenzie has proven himself as a viable option should Richards be absent.
Auston Trusty is another viable replacement. The 27-year-old center back played the second half of the Senegal match, substituting onto the pitch for veteran captain Tim Ream. Where 38-year-old Ream was unconfident, lacked dynamic movements and struggled under pressure with the ball at his feet, the Celtic FC star was contrastingly poised, explosive and integral to second-half buildups. Trusty also had three big defensive contributions, presenting a clear picture to Pochettino that not only could he replace Ream in the starting lineup, but he could also replace Richards.
Pochettino selected five center backs to his official 26-man roster: Richards, McKenzie, Trusty, Ream and Miles Robinson, a large number compared to the mere four true central midfielders he selected. Should Pochettino decide to do an injury-swap with Richards, he could instead opt to select another central midfielder to better balance out the squad, in which case Diego Luna could be the first call. The 22-year-old Real Salt Lake star was considered to be the most shocking snub from the World Cup roster, after the large presence he had for the Stars and Stripes in 2025.
