USMNT has a talented group of players to call upon for this summer's World Cup, leaving Mauricio Pochettino with plenty of big decisions to make. Midfielder Johnny Cardoso is just one of those players, and he is currently bidding to reach the Champions League final at club level.
Still a young player, there is plenty of excitement around what Cardoso can become, and indeed how he can help USMNT climb to the next level. USMNT reached the Last 16 of the last World Cup, so the goal will be to at least reach the quarter-final of this home World Cup, and Cardoso could play a key part.
Here we run you through all you need to know about the midfielder.
Who is Johnny Cardoso?
Johnny Cardoso is a Brazilian-American soccer player who plays in the midfield position. He is 24 years of age and was born in Denville Township, New Jersey. He has Brazilian parents and moved to Brazil at the age of three months.
Cardoso also holds an Italian passport, which allows him to register as a European player for European clubs, like his current club, Atletico Madrid.
Johnny Cardoso's player history
Having moved back to Brazil at a young age, Cardoso ended up coming through at Internacional after having stints with Criciuma and Avai during his youth years.
After coming through at Internacional, Cardoso made 117 league appearances at senior level, earning him a $6.3million move to Spanish club Real Betis in 2024.
The midfielder spent a year-and-a-half at Betis, making 45 league appearances before being snapped up by Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.
Still only 24 years of age, Cardoso has not yet convinced with Atletico Madrid, making 15 league appearances to date, usually seen as a bench player by Diego Simeone, but it is an ultra-strong squad, as shown by Atleti reaching the Champions League semi-final this season.
Club | Year |
|---|---|
Internacional | 2019-2024 |
Real Betis | 2024-2025 |
Atletico Madrid | 2025-Present |
Johnny Cardoso's playing style and USMNT stats
USMNT appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|
23 | 0 | 0 |
Cardoso is an energetic defensive midfielder who is known for his work-ethic and ability to cover ground. He can play as both an out-and-out holding midfielder or as a box-to-box midfielder, able to drive a team forward when in possession.
Unsurprisingly, having played in Spanish football for the last couple of years, Cardoso is good at holding the ball and playing a possession-based game, but he is also a player that thrives in the chaos, given his energetic approach.
Atletico Madrid boss Simeone captured Cardoso's playing style when he said in February of this year: "I’m very happy with Johnny Cardoso work, he recovered many balls. We need to regain possession because without it, you can’t play. It stabilizes the team."
As for his international career, Cardoso has made 23 senior appearances for USMNT, first making a senior appearance in 2020, although he was in and out of the under-23s at that point.
Cardoso has been in and out under Mauricio Pochettino, who does not seem to be totally convinced, although injuries have also played a part. Pochettino has been spotted watching Cardoso in-person at Atleti games, though, which is a good sign for the midfielder ahead of the World Cup.
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