Chris Richards Available for USMNT vs. Portugal

MARIETTA, Ga. – The U.S. Men’s National Team is getting one center back back for its March finale against No. 6 ranked Portugal.

Chris Richards, the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, told reporters Monday that he’ll be available for selection. The defender who recently celebrated his 26th birthday on March 28 missed the USMNT’s previous match against Belgium due to a knee injury he sustained from a rough tackle while with his club, Crystal Palace.

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Richards returns in time for a high-profile matchup where the U.S. will look to sure up its defensive actions, sustain intensity and close its penultimate camp before the 2026 FIFA World Cup on a high note.

Portugal will be the second straight top-10 ranked European opponent for the U.S. On Saturday, the USMNT put on a strong first-half performance against World Cup-bound Belgium before eventually falling 5-2.

“These are the kind of caliber teams that we need to play and that we haven’t been able to play due to them having World Cup qualifiers,” Richards said. “It’s best that we learn these lessons now before the World Cup than us getting there and learning the hard way. Regardless of the result, the team for the majority of the game had a good performance, and it’s something we can work on.”

One player that fans won’t see Tuesday for the Stars & Stripes is Johnny Cardoso. The midfielder earned his 23rd cap against Belgium, starting and playing 45 minutes before being replaced at halftime by Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan. U.S. Soccer announced that Cardoso is scheduled to depart training camp Monday evening to return to his club, Atletico Madrid.

USA vs. Portugal kicks off Tuesday, March 31 at 7 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.