The U.S. Men’s National Team’s road to the FIFA World Cup just got a little steeper. With just over a month to go before the tournament kicks off, Mauricio Pochettino has been dealt yet another injury blow—this time in the midfield.
Atletico Madrid’s Johnny Cardoso is the latest USMNT star to hit the sidelines after the club confirmed he suffered a high-grade ankle sprain. The injury comes on the heels of a tough stretch for the squad, which has already seen Derby County forward Patrick Agyemang sidelined for the season with an Achilles injury and goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann recovering from a broken neck.
Cardoso’s setback is especially frustrating given the timing. He was forced to cut short his most recent USMNT camp after aggravating an existing issue during the team’s 5-2 loss to Belgium. Just two days after logging 33 minutes in Atletico’s 1-0 Champions League semifinal loss to Arsenal, the club delivered the sobering update.
“Johnny Cardoso suffers a high-grade sprain in his right ankle. He will undergo physiotherapy and rehabilitation sessions in the gym, and the progress of his recovery will determine his return to competition,” Atletico said in a statement. “We wish you a speedy recovery, Johnny. You'll come back stronger.”
It’s been a challenging debut season for Cardoso in Madrid following his roughly $35 million move from Real Betis last summer. While he’s made 30 appearances across all competitions—starting 20 of those—he’s found the net just once. For the USMNT, he’s featured only five times between 2025 and 2026, playing a full 90 minutes just once.
For Pochettino, this latest injury may actually simplify a difficult decision. With Cardoso likely out of the picture, the door opens wider for other defensive midfield options. Lyon’s Tanner Tessman, Vancouver Whitecaps’ Sebastian Berhalter, and Seattle Sounders’ Cristian Roldan are all in the mix to step up.
The big question now is how long Cardoso will be sidelined. Pochettino must submit his final 26-player roster by May 30, and the very next day, the USMNT will host a tune-up match. Every training session and friendly counts as the team fine-tunes its World Cup preparations—and Pochettino will be hoping the injury bug has finally run its course.