11 Days Towards The 2022 World Cup: US Defender Chris Richards Did Not Participate In Qatar Due To Injuries

JAKARTA - United States national team defender Chris Richards has been ruled out of the 2022 World Cup due to an injury that has kept him out for more than two months.

"It's sad that this injury made me absent from the World Cup," he wrote on Instagram.

"Will support you all the way," he said of his US teammates.

The 22-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, Richards made his US debut in November 2020 and has made eight international appearances.

Richards last played in the September 6 exhibition for Crystal Palace's U-23 team against Hertha Berlin. His last competitive match was August 27 at Manchester City, when he entered in the 57th minute.

In July, Richards agreed to sign a five-year contract with Palace, leaving Bayern Munich.

Richards arrived in Germany four years ago from the Dallas Major League Soccer team academy and made his Bundesliga debut in June 2020 against Freiburg.

He was loaned to Hoffenheim for the second half of the season and spent most of the 2021-22 season there.

This season, Richards made three Premier League appearances, all as substitutes, and started against Oxford in the League Cup.

Returning to the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament, the US opened the match against Wales on November 21, against England in Friday's Black game four days later and closed the group game on November 29 against Iran.

US coach Gregg Berhalter will announce a list of 26 players this Wednesday local time.