Chris Richards is off the injured list and available for selection for the U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup opener against Paraguay on Friday, June 12. The center back, who hasn’t played since tearing two ligaments in his left ankle on May 17, says he’s re
LOS ANGELES — The U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup opener is still days away on the calendar, but the decision facing coach Mauricio Pochettino already has a more personal edge: Chris Richards is back.
Richards has been taken off the injured list and is “available to be selected” for the United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay on Friday, June 12, Pochettino said at a June 11 news conference. Whether he plays — and whether it’s from the start — remains uncertain.
“We’ll decide whether he starts from the beginning of the game or he starts on the bench,” Pochettino said during that June 11 appearance.
That uncertainty matters because Richards has missed time in a way that’s hard to replace. He has not played in a game since tearing two ligaments in his left ankle during a Premier League match for Crystal Palace on May 17. As a result, he missed both of the USMNT’s friendlies ahead of the World Cup.
Richards’ path back has been a step-by-step climb rather than a quick return. He was cleared for full training with the USMNT on Monday, June 8. By Wednesday, June 10, he said he was ready to go.
“If I’m making myself available, they can trust me to play at 100%,” Richards said.
“Every time they’ve asked me, I told them I’m good,” Richards added. “Even when I first got into camp, I told them I’m good. So now, I think they’ve seen the progression over the last few weeks.”
Pochettino has acknowledged earlier that Richards’ recovery was slower than expected. but he also pointed to the broader work that got him to this point. Richards is the kind of player the team cannot afford to lose lightly: he is described as a locked-in starter at a position where the U.S. has very little depth.
“They worked really hard to recover Chris and other players who arrived with minor things,” Pochettino said. “It’s a really good feeling to have 26 players at a high level to be selected.”
The sequence of facts leaves little room for doubt: Richards’ injury sidelined him after the May 17 ligament tear. he missed the friendlies. he returned to full training on June 8. and he then told reporters on June 10 that he was ready. Now the final question — whether he starts or comes off the bench — is no longer about availability, but about timing.
Chris Richards USMNT World Cup opener Paraguay Mauricio Pochettino injury status left ankle Crystal Palace June 12