Richards has ankle ligament damage from a Crystal Palace match on 17 May. He did not play against Germany on 6 June and a replacement decision is due by 11 June under FIFA rules.Source: Lowdown

What club does Chris Richards play for?

Crystal Palace in the Premier League. He joined from Bayern Munich's system and has made over 30 appearances per season for the club.Source: Crystal Palace FC / Transfermarkt

Why did Chris Richards win US Soccer Player of the Year?

Richards won the 2025 award after his best-ever year in an international shirt: 12 games, 1,004 minutes, two goals, and a place on the Gold Cup Best XI.Source: US Soccer

Background

Chris Richards is the 2025 US Soccer Male Player of the Year and the USMNT's most reliable centre-back heading into the 2026 World Cup. He sat out the USA vs Germany friendly on 6 June 2026 with ankle ligament damage sustained in Crystal Palace's match against Brentford on 17 May. He trained on 5 June but was not fit to play. Coach Pochettino said he was annoyed. Under FIFA rules, the injury-replacement window closes the day before the USA's first group match, making 11 June the deadline for a keep-or-swap decision.

Richards plays for Crystal Palace in the Premier League, where he has made over 30 appearances per season across 2024-25 and contributed a goal and assist in the 2024-25 campaign, helping Palace win the FA Cup. He has started 11 of 12 available USMNT matches in 2025, accumulating more games and minutes for the national team than in any previous calendar year. Born in Birmingham, Alabama in 2000, Richards came through the Houston Dynamo academy before joining Bayern Munich's reserve system in 2018.

A fit Richards is seen as a prerequisite for the USA's defensive stability in the knockout rounds. His ankle injury casts genuine doubt over his participation and forces a coaching decision on whether to replace him in the squad or carry him into the tournament hoping he recovers in time.