Chris Richards ‘available’ for USMNT vs. Portugal to boost thin back line

MARIETTA, Ga. — U.S. men’s national team center back Chris Richards says he is available to play Tuesday against Portugal after missing Saturday’s loss 5-2 to Belgium.

Richards was held out of the first game of this window due to discomfort in his knee that he started to experience after arriving in camp on Monday. Pochettino said Friday that he hoped it was “nothing important,” but expressed doubt that the Crystal Palace veteran would take part in either friendly.

Richards, though, said he is good to go.

“I’m fine,” Richards said. “I had a bad tackle in my last game with Palace, so just a little bit of knee pain, knee soreness, but I’ve been training individually all week and I’m available tomorrow.”

Richards trained Monday with a wrap just below his right knee and a bandage on the back of it. His presence in the starting lineup is critical at a very thin center back position. Ream started alongside Mark McKenzie against Belgium, but Richards’ experience is considered vital for the U.S. group. The 26-year-old, who was the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, has mostly been a starter for the U.S. since the last World Cup cycle, though he missed the Qatar World Cup due to a hamstring injury. He started every game of the Gold Cup for Pochettino, as well as friendlies in September and October, but missed the November window due to a calf injury.

The U.S. went back to a more traditional 4-3-2-1 on Monday, rotating midfielder Tanner Tessmann into the back line in the build-up. In the fall, the Americans used a winger-wingback hybrid role and inserted an extra defender who served as more of a center back in the build-up, but moved into the traditional right back role defensively. It effectively looks like a 3-2-2-3 shape in possession. Richards’ absence may have limited some of the options Pochettino wanted to consider for the Belgium game.

Richards has started 36 games across all competitions for Palace this season, including all 26 Premier League games in which he has appeared, plus seven UEFA Conference League games.