Chris Richards tore two ligaments in his left ankle on May 17. Twenty-six days later, he played a full 90 minutes in a World Cup match and didn’t misplace a single pass.
The US men’s national team opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay, and Richards was the unlikely anchor of the whole operation. The 26-year-old Crystal Palace defender, who was genuinely questionable to make the squad, turned in one of the most quietly dominant defensive performances in recent World Cup memory.
A performance for the record books
Here’s the thing about Richards’ stat line: 83 passes completed, zero missed. That’s 100% passing accuracy over a full match. The last time any player accomplished that in a World Cup game was 1966.
The road back from injury
