United States center back Chris Richards will be clear to play without a minutes restriction for the USMNT’s World Cup-opening match against Paraguay on Friday.
Richards has been rehabbing an injury he sustained while playing for Crystal Palace in mid-May.
The star man missed both of the United States’ pre-World Cup friendlies against Senegal and Germany.
But he’ll be ready to go for Mauricio Pochettino’s squad on Friday, which will provide a crucial boost as Richards is by far America’s best player in an otherwise shaky position.
‘I’m ready to go,’ Richards told reporters on Wednesday. ‘It’s the World Cup. I was going to make myself ready regardless.’
The defender added, ‘If there’s any time to sacrifice yourself it’s now. I know I’m able to play Friday, but I don’t make those decisions.’
United States and Crystal Palace center back Chris Richards says he is clear to play his nation’s opening match on Friday against Paraguay at the World Cup
Richards had been rehabbing an injury he picked up while playing for Palace last month
Richards, the best center back in the American system, will likely be used in a back-three
Richards and the United States will host Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium (also known as SoFi Stadium) on Friday evening.
‘If I’m able to start on Friday, it’s not going to put the rest of my tournament in jeopardy,’ Richards said.
Richards is expected to play beside 38-year-old captain Tim Ream in what will likely be a back-three in the American system.
It’s unclear who the third center back will be. In the friendlies, Ream has played with Villarreal’s Alex Freeman, Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie and FC Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson.
The USA will play a Paraguay team that recently saw star man Julio Enciso suffer an injury in a warm-up match.
It’s unclear if Enciso will be ready for use in manager Gustavo Alfaro’s team on Friday.
