United States Men’s National Team central defender Chris Richards missed both of the USA’s World Cup warm-up matches, due to two ligament tears in his ankle. The last time that he was on the pitch was May 17th, when he made a substitute appearance for Crystal Palace in their 2-2 draw with Brentford. And although he didn’t play, Richards was named to the matchday squad for the Palace team that triumphed over Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League Final. So he’s been out of action for close to a month now, but he has returned to full training for the Stars and Stripes, and Gio Reyna believes that Chris Richards will be passed fit for the World Cup opener on Friday.
World Cup Group D Opener
USMNT vs Paraguay
Kick off: June 12, SoFi….wait, no excuse me, “Los Angeles” Stadium (LOLOLOLOLOLOL!), 8pm CST
Broadcast: FOX, FOX One, Tubi
World Cup Material: Mauricio Pochettino Feeling the Spirit FIFA Greed, Exploitation and Price Gouging
Current FIFA Ranking: USMNT #16 Paraguay #41
Although Reyna said this with a qualifying sense of hesitation.
“I don’t really know his status right now, I don’t want to say too much, but Chris is here for a reason, I think we all understand that Chris will be fit and be available to play for us,” Reyna said at the USMNT media opportunity yesterday, ahead of the Group D opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday night.
“So I’m not exactly sure what that’s going to be like, but Chris is obviously a very important player for us.”
Reyna’s right- Richards is an extremely critical player for the United States. Not only does his presence within the spine of the defense completely alter what opposing attacks try to do, his personality is that of a natural born leader.
It’s obvious why he wore the captain’s armband during his most recent game with the Stars and Stripes.
“On and off the field, he provides a lot of leadership qualities to us,” Reyna later added.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.