3 winners (and 3 sore losers) with Johnny Cardoso ruled out of World Cup

Just over a month until the USMNT plays its first game at the 2026 World Cup, Mauricio Pochettino’s side has suffered a serious injury setback. Defensive midfielder Johnny Cardoso has officially been ruled out of the World Cup. Cardoso suffered a high-ankle sprain while training with Atletico Madrid last week.

On Monday, it was announced that Cardoso would require surgery, preventing him from playing in the World Cup.

Amidst his participation with Atletico in the Champions League and a strong first-half performance during March’s friendly against Belgium, Cardoso was trending in the right direction. He was a safe bet to make the roster and could have easily pushed for a starting spot.

Unfortunately, his absence will force a reshuffling of the USMNT midfield. Here are some of the winners and losers of Cardoso’s injury.

Loser: Johnny Cardoso

As usual, the injured player is the biggest loser. He didn’t make the roster of the 2022 World Cup, although he was a part of the USMNT teams that won the Nations League in 2023 and 2024. Cardoso had taken a big step forward in his career with the move to Atletico Madrid last summer.

He was a key part of the club’s run to the Champions League semifinals and was likely to have a role at the World Cup. Alas, that dream is over, as Cardoso will have to wait four years for another chance to play in the World Cup.

Winner: Tyler Adams

With the injury to Cardoso, Adams can likely be added to the list of Pochettino’s non-negotiable starters for the World Cup. Adams has dealt with plenty of injuries in his career. That includes a torn MCL last December that kept him from playing in the USMNT’s March friendlies.

Adams is still not an automatic starter for Bournemouth after returning from the injury. However, Cardoso was likely the only defensive midfielder who could have pushed Adams out of the USMNT starting lineup. With Cardoso no longer an option, Adams looks like a guaranteed starter in June.

Loser: Weston McKennie

The loss of Cardoso doesn’t impact McKennie’s roster spot. However, it could have an impact on his role at the World Cup. Pochettino seems to favor McKennie in an advanced position, which could have set up a lineup with Adams and Cardoso playing alongside each other.

But with Cardoso out of the picture, McKennie becomes an option to play a deeper midfield role next to Adams. While that’s not the worst thing in the world, it could deprive McKennie of some of his freedom to get forward, making it harder for him to get in the box and create scoring chances for the U.S.

Winner: Tanner Tessman and Aidan Morris

Cardoso being out will go a long way toward ensuring Tessman and Morris are on the 26-man World Cup roster, which Pochettino will announce on May 26. They are next in line to serve as the deputies for Adams at defensive midfield.

With Adams, Cardoso, Tessman, and Morris, one could argue that there is too much redundancy, potentially keeping one of them off the roster. But it’s now looking like a safe bet that there will be room on the roster for both Tessman and Morris.

In fact, both are more likely to see meaningful action on the field if Cardoso isn’t an option to shore up the midfield in situations in which the USMNT is protecting a lead.

Loser: Mauricio Pochettino

As the coach, losing a player like Cardoso is a big loss. Whether he was a starter or not, Cardoso was going to be a useful chess piece during the World Cup. He’s gained invaluable experience playing in big games in both La Liga and Champions League, so Cardoso would not have been fazed by playing in his first World Cup.

As a reliable defensive midfielder, Cardoso would have been an excellent candidate to start in games where a defensive shape is prioritized. He would also make an excellent second-half sub when defending a lead. Whatever he lacks in an attacking sense, Cardoso would have added value to the USMNT roster, and there’s no doubt Pochettino recognizes the negative impact his absence will have during the World Cup.

Winner: Sebastian Berhalter and Cristian Roldan

For both Berhalter and Roldan, a roster spot was starting to look a little tenuous. Neither did their roster chances any favors during the March international window. Berhalter had a mishap that led to the USMNT giving up a goal in the loss to Belgium, while Roldan was dreadful after subbing on for Cardoso at halftime.

However, the injury to Cardoso opens up an extra roster spot for an infielder. Berhalter may have found a roster spot regardless of Cardoso’s status, so he can breathe easier. Roldan, meanwhile, has a lifeline, especially since Pochettino seems to have a soft spot for him.

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