Chris Richards a critical part of USMNT’s plans despite injury worry, friendly red flags

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — After what was an almost entirely positive Sunday for the U.S. men’s national team, its biggest worry hung on into Monday and beyond.

If Chris Richards, who stayed back in Fayetteville to rehab an injured ankle during the 3-2 win over Senegal in Charlotte, N.C., isn’t ready for the World Cup, the USMNT’s defense looks awfully thin without him.

The good news on that front Monday was that Richards was on the final 26-man roster the USMNT submitted to FIFA. Changes due to injury are still allowed until 24 hours prior to the first match, so that hurdle was largely procedural, but it is a positive sign nonetheless.

If he’s healthy enough to do so, Richards will almost certainly start, and if Mauricio Pochettino sticks with the formation he used Sunday, Richards would likely be the central center back in what was, on paper, a back three. We saw why against Senegal.

Chris Richards of the United States warm ups during the USMNT training at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground on March 23, 2026 in Marietta, Georgia. Getty Images

As organized as the Americans looked in possession, as dynamic and flowing a game as they played offensively against the Teranga Lions, there were still too many self-inflicted errors, which in turn led to moments in defensive transition when the back line was caught out.

That was at the heart of both of Senegal’s goals, which started with turnovers from Antonee Robinson and Miles Robinson, respectively, as well as the bulk of chances the USMNT conceded.

“I think everybody recognized that,” said center back Mark McKenzie, who took up that central role in the back line without Richards. “Trying to play the intricate pass. But look, that’s football. These are moments where you’re gunning for them but against strong opponents you can get hurt. Today we got hurt a couple times. But nonetheless, it’s something to build on. Showcases the confidence we have to play out the back especially.”

Nominally, McKenzie started between Alex Freeman on his right and Tim Ream on his left to make up the back three. In possession, though, Freeman was able to roam up the field or invert, which helped create his best moment of the game, a perfectly weighted pass through to Ricardo Pepi, who found Christian Pulisic for the USMNT’s second goal. Out of possession, the shape looked like a back four, with Freeman on the right side and Antonee Robinson dropping to left back.

The moments in between were when the USMNT got into trouble, and the latitude Pochettino gave his defensive midfielders — Tyler Adams and Sebastian Berhalter in the first half, with the latter replaced by Cristian Roldan after halftime — to be involved in attack was a trade-off with noticeable effects on both ends of the field.

Chris Richards of the United States passes the ball during the USMNT training at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground on March 23, 2026 in Marietta, Georgia. Getty Images

“I think the chances that we conceded [were] through our mistakes,” Pochettino said. “If we improve in the way to manage some situations, I think we will avoid [it]. I think we were talking in the water break and halftime [about] different things that were our mistakes.”

Of the four center backs who played — Miles Robinson and Auston Trusty replaced Ream and McKenzie at halftime — it was hard to feel great about anyone.

Ream and McKenzie looked vulnerable to Senegal’s press in moments, and Ream got turned around by Habib Diarra in the buildup to Senegal’s opener. Miles Robinson was responsible for the game’s most egregious moment, an awful turnover deep in his own end of the field that handed Senegal a 2-2 equalizer. Trusty looked shaky.

Miles Robinson, the fifth center back on a healthy depth chart, is unlikely to see minutes at the World Cup. (Ditto for Chris Brady, the third-string keeper whose attempt at cleaning up Robinson’s error only compounded it). But at the moment, it’s not a given that the U.S. has a healthy depth chart.

Richards doesn’t single-handedly solve the USMNT’s issues at the position. But he’s easily the steadiest, most trustworthy player Pochettino has there. If he’s on the field, the Americans are a team less prone to mistakes, and one that can clean up the errors that do happen more easily.