USMNT Defender Chris Richards Ruled Out of World Cup With Injury

The 22-year-old Crystal Palace center back has not featured in match action in more than two months.

The U.S. men’s national team will be without center back Chris Richards at the World Cup, the defender confirmed on Instagram. 

The 22-year-old defender was expected to play a major role in manager Gregg Berhalter’s side in Qatar, but Richards has not played a senior match for Crystal Palace since late August due to a leg injury. 

“Gutted that this injury has ruled me out of the world cup but i know that the boys will go crazy regardless … will be rooting for y’all the whole way […] go out and make history,” Richards posted. 

Richards has earned eight caps for the U.S. in his young international career, including five in World Cup qualifiers over the last 13 months. 

Berhalter will now have to find a way to replace Richards, who left Bayern Munich for Crystal Palace over the summer. The U.S. will already be without center back Miles Robinson due to a long-term Achilles injury, and the manager elaborated a bit about the position in comments made last week.

“Some of the guys we’re working with right now, Aaron Long and Walker Zimmerman, we’re able to work with them now for about two weeks, which would be a good period,” Berhalter told ESPN. 

“Guys that were injured last camp, like Cameron Carter-Vickers is now back on the field. That’s helpful. Mark McKenzie’s playing every week in Belgium. Eric Palmer-Brown’s playing every week in France. And Tim Ream is playing every week in the Premier League. That’s a good thing. So I’m pretty comfortable that with that group we can get four center backs that can help us win games.”

The U.S. open its World Cup campaign on Nov. 21 against Wales before facing England and Iran. It will announce the 26-man roster Wednesday evening in New York.