Miles Robinson’s dreams of featuring for the U.S. men’s national team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup have been put in major doubt with the Atlanta United defender set for surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Robinson will undergo surgery on Monday after suffering an Achilles injury in Saturday’s 4-1 MLS win over the Chicago Fire, Atlanta United announced. The Massachusetts native was stretchered off in the 18th minute of Saturday’s Eastern Conference match after suffering a non-contact injury to his left leg.
Robinson has been one of the best central defenders in MLS since returning to the first team in 2019. He has totaled 117 career appearances in league play, scored two goals, been named to the MLS All-Star team once (2021), and earned MLS Best XI honors twice (2019,2021).
Robinson’s impressive rise in MLS has also carried over to the USMNT, where he has earned 19 caps since the start of 2021. He scored the winning goal for the Americans in a 1-0 extra time victory over Mexico in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Final and was also named to the tournament’s Best XI.
He also started 11 of the USMNT’s 14 World Cup Qualifying matches during the octagonal round.
Robinson’s status for the remainder of the MLS season and the USMNT’s quartet of June matches is unknown. He is the latest USMNT player to suffer a setback in recent weeks, joining Josh Sargent, Jordan Pefok, Sergino Dest, and Chris Richards on the growing injured list.
Terrible news. Hope he recovers fully.
Well, that absolutely reeks for Robison, though it’s great news for Aaron Long, Erik Palmer-Brown, and Cameron Carter-Vickers, since it likely puts at least two of the three on the plane to Qatar and maybe all of them if the noises Gregg was making about instituting some 3-man backlines in Qatar are correct and the rosters go up to 26 from 23 as expected.
Hate it for the guy. He fought his way in the hard way and was one of our best and most consistent soldiers throughout qualifying and he deserved a better reward.
Gotta figure Brooks is back in potentially too, believe he’s been playing well for club, Berhalter obviously hasnt been a fan but I personally think if hes good up til then he should be in
Robinson’s status for the remainder of the MLS season and the USMNT’s quartet of June matches is unknown.
Any place I can place a bet on his status being out?
An Achilles used to mean 12 to 14 months out, but lately I’ve seen recoveries in less time. Nevertheless, I don’t see any way he plays in the World Cup, unless you’re talking about 2026. Need to start bringing in more CB’s for the natipnal team matches.
Really feel for Miles. Even if he somehow gets “back” to full practice in 5 months, I wouldn’t trust it.
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I’m also skeptical of Reyna playing in the WC. I still remember seeing his dad go down in 2006. Yes, feels kinda mean to type that… but you just can’t rush recovery from certain injuries, especially recurring injuries.
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Next man up.
Reyna will have the benefit of a summer off. He could badly use it.
I think he -plays.
I certainly want him to play.
Long suffered a similar injury and was sidelined for something like 9 months, and has not been all that impressive since his return.
Gregg needs to call up extra CBs this camp. Brooks, CCV, EPB, Long, and anyone else possible. There are ~6 games to select who are CB’s are going to be and get them chemistry together.
Zimmerman and Chris Richards – if healthy – are our only two real “locks”. There’s 2 and probably 3 spots available – assuming the 26-man WC roster – to be divided among (in what I think is probably descending order)….
1) Erik Palmer-Brown
2) Aaron Long
3) Cameron Carter-Vickers
4) Mark McKenzie
5) John Brooks
6) Tim Ream
7) Justin Che
8) James Sands
Personally I’d leave Aaron Long off unless his game really picks up and insert John Brooks or even Tim Ream instead, since we could use a second natural left-footer besides Richards for the purposes of a 3-man backline and Brooks/Ream are both veteran presences who are a lot more suited to playing in 3-man backlines (which we will need at some point) than 4-man lines in a 4-3-3, but that’s me. If Gregg is utterly dead-set against Brooks for whatever reason, bring in Ream…with 26 you can use him.
Aaron Long, to me, is a downgrade on EPB and CCV unless his speed and movement really recover…which takes time he may not have, coming back from an Achilles injury as he is.