Red Bulls' Aaron Long Out for MLS Season, Key USMNT Matches After Tearing Achilles

The New York Red Bulls center back ruptured his Achilles at the end of a 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.

U.S. men's national team and New York Red Bulls defender Aaron Long ruptured his Achilles tendon Saturday night and will miss the remainder of the MLS season, the club announced on Tuesday. 

The 28-year-old center back suffered the injury in second-half stoppage time of the club's 1–0 loss to the Philadelphia Union and has since undergone surgery. 

The injury will also rule Long out of a busy summer and fall for the USMNT. The Americans will kick off their summer slate against Switzerland at the end of this month in a friendly to tune up for its Concacaf Nations League semifinal against Honduras, and the subsequent Nations League final or third-place match in early June. 

Long will also miss the Concacaf Gold Cup in July as well as the first few months of World Cup qualifying, which begins with three games in early September and continues with windows in October and November.

Long has been a fixture in Gregg Berhalter's USMNT setup, starting in each of his 21 international caps dating back to 2018, and he has captained the national team on multiple occasions as well. 

Bayern Munich's Chris Richards (on loan at Hoffenheim), Chelsea's Matt Miazga (on loan at Anderlecht) and Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman are among the chief candidates to fill in for Long alongside presumed starter and Wolfsburg defender John Brooks.