Sergiño Dest

Sergiño Dest suffered a Left hamstring injury in the 57th minute of PSV Eindhoven's Eredivisie match against AZ Alkmaar on 7 March 2026, leaving the field unable to bear weight and sparking immediate concern about his availability for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Dest had become USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino's first-choice attacking outlet from the right side, described as the squad's "ultimate attacking wildcard". His absence from the Belgium and Portugal March friendlies meant the pre-tournament roster assessment proceeded without him.

Dest was Born on 3 November 2000 in Almere, the Netherlands, to a Dutch mother and American father, and chose to represent the United States at senior level after representing US youth teams. He developed through the Ajax academy, making his Eredivisie debut in August 2019, and transferred to FC Barcelona in October 2020 for an initial €21 million. After a mixed spell in Spain he joined PSV Eindhoven on loan in August 2023, making the move permanent in June 2024 on a free transfer. He has earned 37 senior caps for the United States.

Dest's return is projected between 23 April and 2 May, targeting the PSV-Ajax Eredivisie fixture as his comeback game. If he recovers on schedule, he remains viable for Pochettino's 26 May squad announcement. The USMNT's World Cup opener against Paraguay is on 11 June 2026. Hamstring injuries carry a high risk of recurrence, and the compressed timeline leaves Dest minimal preparation. Dest posted on Instagram that the injury was "NOT the end of the season", and the question for Pochettino remains whether to include him as a fitness gamble or carry a fully fit alternative at right back.