Chris Richards Is Training, But His Ankle Still Sucks, And The World Cup Opener Is Staring USMNT Right In The Face

Alright, Emerald City fam, let's talk USMNT. You know we've got eyes on our boys, especially with our own Cristian Roldan repping the Sounders colors on that squad. So, the news coming out of the national team camp today? It's a gut punch, honestly. Defender Chris Richards, an absolute cornerstone, trained with the squad on Friday, which sounded like a ray of sunshine. But hold up, coach Mauricio Pochettino just dropped the bomb: Richards is OUT for Saturday's friendly against Germany. Oof.

The Ankle Nightmare That Just Won't Quit

You gotta wonder what’s going on, right? This isn't just some tweak. Richards is dealing with a nasty ankle injury he picked up last month. We're talking torn ligaments in his left ankle, suffered way back on May 17 during a Premier League match for his Crystal Palace squad against Brentford. Dude even finished the match, the warrior, but he limped off and hasn't seen competitive action since. So, yeah, he hit the training field with the team Friday after doing individual work all week, which felt like a positive sign. But Coach Pochettino was super clear, saying, "Well, today he was training, but still he's not ready to compete and to play." That just crushes your soul a little, doesn't it?

Pochettino Is Fuming, And The World Cup Clock Is Ticking

And you can feel the frustration practically dripping from Coach Pochettino’s words. He picked Richards, a 26-year-old center back who has 36 national team appearances, for this 26-man USMNT squad for a reason, even with that brutal ankle injury. Pochettino admitted they thought Chris might even play in the Conference League final, saying he was "even on the bench for it." Then they thought he'd be good for the friendly against Senegal. But the timelines just kept dragging out, and it's clear Pochettino is fed up, stating, "It's frustrating, I'm not happy about it because we know Chris is a key player." A key player, indeed, especially when you consider he missed the 2022 World Cup due to a hamstring injury. Now, the clock is ticking. Richards can be replaced on the roster, but it has to be done at least 24 hours before the USMNT kicks off their World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 12. That's a tight window, and we're talking about a World Cup here, folks. Every day counts!

So, what's next? The boys are facing Germany in that friendly on Saturday without Richards, and then they've got "the next few days to assess him and see his ankle, his revolution and then to make a decision," according to Pochettino. They need a decision fast because that World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 12 is coming up quick. We're holding our breath, hoping for good news on Richards' ankle because a healthy Chris Richards is absolutely essential for our USMNT. Let's keep our fingers crossed, Seattle!

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.