Johnny Cardoso Faces Ankle Surgery, World Cup Aspirations in Jeopardy
Midfielder Johnny Cardoso, currently playing for Atletico Madrid, is set to undergo surgery on his right ankle, a development announced by the LaLiga club on Monday. This unfortunate turn of events significantly jeopardizes his chances of participating in the upcoming World Cup.
Cardoso sustained the injury during a training session last Thursday when he suffered a severe ankle sprain, which has adversely affected the joint, as reported by Atletico Madrid in an official statement.
This latest injury adds to a string of setbacks for Cardoso, whose inaugural season with Atletico has been marred by various injuries. The 24-year-old midfielder had limited opportunities to showcase his skills during the March international break, with only a 45-minute appearance against Belgium.
Head coach of the United States national team, Mauricio Pochettino, is anticipated to finalize his 26-man squad for the World Cup later this month. The co-hosting nation is already grappling with injury-related concerns among key players.
Notably, team captain Christian Pulisic has missed several matches with AC Milan due to a muscular issue, while the squad also faces the absence of winger Tim Weah from Marseille and midfield player Tanner Tessmann from Olympique Lyonnais.
The United States, co-hosting the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, is scheduled to face Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6 in preparation matches before their Group D opener against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California. The team is also expected to compete against Australia and Turkey during the finals.
