American soccer defender James Sands faces an uncertain path to the World Cup after undergoing ankle surgery following an injury that cut short his professional season in Germany.
The 25-year-old New York native went under the knife Friday in Munich, where his club team FC St. Pauli confirmed the procedure on his left ankle. Team officials have not provided any timeline for when Sands might return to competitive play.
Sands sustained the injury during last Sunday’s match when he was fouled during play against Eintracht Frankfurt. Medical scans conducted over several days following the incident revealed the severity of the ankle damage that required surgical intervention.
The defender has earned 14 caps with the national team since 2021, most recently taking the field as a starter during October’s exhibition victory over Australia.
Team USA is set to begin World Cup competition on June 12 when they face Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
