The World Cup is a few hours from start, and the USMNT has every spotlight on them. Both friendly matches left a good sensations about this squad.
However, the major question was the availability of USMNT star defender Chris Richards ahead of the World Cup debut against Paraguay on Friday.
Mauricio Pochettino knows his defense depends on Richards being there. With that said, during a press conference, the defender revealed his status and whether he is available for their opening match.
Chris Richards revealed his status ahead of the USMNT World Cup debut.
Many reports suggest that Richards was pushed to his physical limits to determine whether he is available for the first game or the last match of the group stage.
The Crystal Palace center-back talked to the media about his situation and stated:
“I mean, I feel good. If there’s any time to sacrifice yourself, it’s now, he said regarding his injury. I know I can play on Friday. But again, I’m not the one making the decision.”
Richards, 26, said that as soon as he learned about his injury, the first thing he asked was whether he would be able to play against Paraguay.
He also mentioned that he has been working around the clock to recover in time for Friday’s match. Nevertheless, one thing is clear: if he plays on Friday, he shouldn’t jeopardize his participation in the entire tournament, proving that he has fully recovered from his injury.
“We have enough time between the games where I can get some recovery in. If I’m able to start on Friday, then it’s not going to put the rest of the tournament in jeopardy.”
This is great news for Mauricio Pochettino and the squad, cause the USMNT has been struggling defensively without their star center back in the starting lineup.
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