Two American soccer players who are vying for spots on the United States Men’s National Team suffered injuries during Sunday’s matches, raising concerns about their availability for the upcoming World Cup.
Brenden Aaronson, an attacking midfielder, sustained a left leg injury while competing for Leeds United, though early reports suggest the injury may not threaten his World Cup participation.
Chris Richards, a defender hoping to make the national team roster, also suffered an injury on Sunday when he twisted his left ankle during Crystal Palace’s match. The substitute player briefly left the field but returned after about a minute and finished the game.
Aaronson’s injury occurred in the 58th minute of Leeds United’s Premier League contest against Brighton & Hove Albion. The 25-year-old player from Medford, New Jersey, was seen holding his left leg as the medical staff rushed onto the field. He hobbled off the pitch and was substituted in what became a 1-0 win for Leeds.
Richards, age 26, hails from Alabama and developed through FC Dallas’s youth system before transferring to Bayern Munich’s academy in Germany in 2018. The defender spent two seasons in Germany’s top league before transferring to Crystal Palace in 2022.
National team coach Mauricio Pochettino is scheduled to announce his 26-player World Cup roster on May 26 during a public ceremony in New York.
This season, Aaronson leads Leeds United with five assists while contributing four goals, appearing in 35 of the team’s 37 matches.
Aaronson joined Leeds on a five-year contract in 2022. Following the club’s relegation, he spent the 2023-24 season on loan with FC Union Berlin in the German Bundesliga before returning to the English club in West Yorkshire.
The midfielder received his initial national team invitation in October 2019, made his debut in 2020, and participated in all three United States matches during the 2022 World Cup.
Richards has made 36 appearances for the national team since 2020, netting three goals, but was left off the 2022 World Cup squad. This season, he has featured in 33 Premier League matches for Crystal Palace, scoring once.
