- Chris Richards injury update ahead of World Cup opener
- Crystal Palace star in action for USA
- Dreams of winning tournament on home soil
Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards has handed the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) a major injury boost ahead of their highly anticipated World Cup opener against Paraguay.
The 26-year-old picked up an ankle injury toward the back end of Palace’s campaign. While he was fit enough to make the bench for the Eagles’ UEFA Conference League final win in Leipzig, he was forced to miss the USA’s final warm-up friendlies against Senegal and Germany.
However, speaking ahead of Saturday’s opening clash at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Richards has confirmed that his recent absence was purely precautionary and that he is raring to go.
Richards feels ‘really good’
Speaking to Sports Illustrated, the Palace centre-back opened up about his race to full fitness following a gruelling season in South London.
“I feel good. When I first got into camp after two long days of travel, I had a bit of a swollen ankle, but I’ve been doing treatment almost 24 hours [per day]. I feel really good, and I’m getting ready for the opener a week from today. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Richards added that the USMNT medical staff saw “no rush” to risk him in their recent friendlies, opting instead to take his recovery at their own pace to ensure he is 100% ready for the group stage.
Overcoming past heartbreak
Missing out on the biggest stage is something Richards knows all too well, having been cruelly ruled out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to injury. Now a vital cog in Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT setup, the defender is determined to soak in every moment of a home tournament.
Reflecting on what it will feel like to walk out in front of 70,000 fans in Los Angeles, Richards told The Rest is Football:
“I’ve thought about it for weeks, for months, what that opening national anthem is going to sound like.
“When I first heard the national anthem with the national team, I remember thinking of my family. I remember thinking of every coach I’ve had along the way, every player I’ve played with. It’s not just me playing for a national team, it’s everybody that’s helped me get to this point.”
American dream
While pundits aren’t giving the USA much of a chance to go all the way, Richards is coming into the tournament on a high. Having just lifted his third piece of silverware with Palace in the space of a single year, he is bringing a winner’s mentality to the international stage.
“I think Americans, we’re a country of dreamers. It hasn’t happened yet, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. We’re 26 players representing 400 million people, so we go into the tournament with belief and we’re there to tell a story.”
The USA kicks off their Group D campaign against Paraguay in the early hours of Saturday morning (02:00 BST), before facing Australia and Türkiye.
