United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso is a major doubt for the 2026 World Cup after suffering a high-grade ankle sprain, his club Atlético Madrid confirmed on Thursday. The injury comes just five weeks before the tournament starts and less than three weeks before US head coach Mauricio Pochettino names his squad.
High-grade ankle sprains typically require at least a month to heal, and often longer. The USA open their World Cup campaign on 13 June against Paraguay in Inglewood, California, before facing Australia and Turkey in Group A. Cardoso was hurt in training and is undergoing rehabilitation, with no timetable for his return. Atlético have four La Liga matches left and are pushing for a top-four finish after their Champions League elimination by Arsenal.
The 24-year-old has won 23 caps for the United States since his debut in 2020, with his most recent appearance coming in a 5-2 defeat to Belgium in March, where he played the first half. A defensive midfielder, Cardoso has struggled to replicate his club form for the national team, but was seen as a potential key figure if he could find consistency before the tournament.
If Cardoso is ruled out, Pochettino may turn to Seattle Sounders' Cristian Roldan, whose versatility and experience could earn him a second World Cup call-up, or Tanner Tessmann, who has 12 caps under Pochettino and has been deployed as a centre-back in a three-man defence for club and country.
