United States Men's National Team midfielder Johnny Cardoso has suffered an ankle injury, and will miss the 2026 World Cup.
Atletico Madrid midfield engine Johnny Cardoso sustained a high ankle sprain during training this week, and he has been ruled out for the remainder of the La Liga Season, and after opting into surgery, he is confirmed to miss the 2026 World Cup.
Cardoso came on as a substitute in Atletico's UEFA Champions League semi-final loss against Arsenal on Tuesday, after playing the full 90-minutes in the first leg of the tie last week. Cardoso has become one of the most important midfielders for the USMNT since joining Atletico Madrid last summer.
Cardoso's appearances in the Champions League semi-final made him just the fourth American to feature at that stage of the tournament, after DeMarcus Beasley, Tyler Adams, and Cristian Pulisic.
Cardoso made his USMNT debut at just 19, and has made 23 appearances for the Star and Stripes throughout his career. Although he is relatively inexperienced on the international stage, Cardoso's high-level performance in world-class leagues made him an important part of Mauricio Pochettino's team.
Will Johnny Cardoso Play at the World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup is only five weeks away, and Cardoso will not be fit to be play after electing to receive surgery. This injury adds to the 24-year-old's long history of being injured during international windows, preventing him from finding consistency with the U.S. National Team.
High ankle sprains typically take soccer players 6-12 weeks to fully recover, depending on the severity of the injury. If the injury was not too serious, Cardoso could be named to the team but still be kept out for the few first matches in hopes of having him back for the knockout stage of the tournament.
Unfortunately for the USMNT, Cardoso's decision to get surgery has extended his timeline to the point where he will not be fit for the World Cup this summer.
Since Cardoso is not fit enough to play in the World Cup, the depth of the USMNT midfield will suffer. Behind Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Tanner Tessman in that position, Pochettino will likely need to rely on MLS players - Cristian Roldan and Sebastien Berhalter in Cardoso's absence.
