Johnny Cardoso's World Cup Dreams Dashed by Ankle Surgery

Atletico Madrid midfielder Johnny Cardoso is set for ankle surgery, jeopardizing his World Cup participation. His injury, sustained during training, adds to concerns for the U.S. team, which faces several player fitness issues before the tournament, co-hosted with Mexico and Canada, begins in June.

Atletico Madrid's Johnny Cardoso faces the possibility of missing the World Cup following his impending ankle surgery, announced by the club on Monday. The injury, which occurred during training, presents a substantial challenge to his inclusion in Mauricio Pochettino's squad selection later this month.

This unfortunate event marks another injury for Cardoso in his debut season with Atletico, as he previously saw limited play in March, participating only in a brief friendly against Belgium. The U.S. national team, led by coach Mauricio Pochettino, is expected to release its World Cup squad list soon.

The U.S. team, already battling several fitness issues, will face Senegal and Germany in pre-tournament friendlies before their initial match against Paraguay in Group D on June 12, held in California. Cardoso hopes for recovery amid his nation co-hosting the competition with Mexico and Canada.