United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso has suffered a "high-grade" sprain in his right ankle, his club Atlético Madrid confirmed on Thursday. The injury casts serious doubt on his participation in the 2026 World Cup, with only five weeks remaining until the tournament starts and less than three weeks until US head coach Mauricio Pochettino names his squad.
High-grade ankle sprains typically require at least a month to recover from, and often longer. The United States will open their World Cup campaign on 13 June against Paraguay in Inglewood, California. They will also face Australia and Turkey in their remaining group-stage matches.
Atletico Madrid stated that Cardoso was injured during training and will undergo rehabilitation. The club did not provide a timeline for his return. La Liga has four rounds left, and Atlético are aiming for a top-four finish after being eliminated by Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals this week.
The 24-year-old Cardoso has earned 23 caps for the USMNT since his debut in 2020. His most recent appearance came during the March international window, where he played the first 45 minutes of the United States' 5-2 loss to Belgium. A defensive midfielder, he has struggled to replicate his club form at the international level, but he remains a potentially key piece of the US midfield if he could turn that around with weeks of preparation before the major tournament.
If Cardoso is unable to play in the World Cup, Pochettino will have several interesting options to consider for his midfield. This could mean that Seattle Sounders' Cristian Roldan becomes a stronger candidate for his second World Cup roster, given his versatility, experience, and respect among teammates. It could also lead to an elevation for Tanner Tessmann, who has played 12 times under Pochettino, earning the 15th-most minutes among US players during that period. Tessmann is versatile, having recently been deployed as a center-back in a three-man backline for both club and country.
