Richards: The US Defensive Bastion Shines with Crystal Palace and Aims for the World Cup

In the recent Gold Cup, the United States men’s national soccer team, under the technical direction of Mauricio Pochettino, provided a platform for players with little experience to demonstrate their worth. Matt Freese, Alex Freeman, and Diego Luna took advantage of this opportunity, solidifying their place in the international arena. However, it wasn’t just the less experienced players who caught the attention. Chris Richards stood out as the team’s most consistent and outstanding player in the Gold Cup, and is now shaping up to be a regular in the lineup for the next FIFA World Cup, which will be held in less than a year. Six weeks ago, the situation was different.

Before the Gold Cup, there was uncertainty about the starting center-back pairing, with both positions up for grabs. In Richards’ case, he was expected to become a pillar of the US national team, but his international performances didn’t always match his club form. The 2024 Copa America was disappointing for the player. His passes lacked the usual precision, and his defense didn’t show the same consistency.

The notable second half of the season with Crystal Palace saw Richards reach his best form, and he carried that level of play into the Gold Cup. His performances were impeccable throughout the tournament, showing composure in defense and even contributing two goals from set pieces, including one in the 2-1 defeat to Mexico in the final.

It’s something I challenged myself with when entering this tournament. I wanted to be that guy who stepped up and secured my place, and I think maybe I’ve done it.

Chris Richards

Now, the defender has become one of the first names on Pochettino’s list, and his game has caught the attention of his teammates. Teammate Tim Ream commented on Richards’ growth.

Just watching him play now, he’s really taking control. He’s doing the things that I think everyone really, really hoped he would do and hoped he would become as a center-back. He’s still very young, and he’s still learning and just watching him, watching his growth over the last two years, it’s really been great to see.

Tim Ream

Ream noted that becoming a father changed his perspective as a player and motivated him in a positive way. He feels that Richards has experienced a similar transformation since the birth of his daughter, Luna, something that Richards does not deny.

It has definitely made me work a little harder because at the end of the day, I have to support her and my girlfriend too. It makes you want to work 10% – fuck, 100% – harder.

Chris Richards

Players often talk about the demands of the season, how the constant work often leads to a series of incremental improvements that lead to success, but a campaign can also depend on key moments. For Richards, that point came last October.

The Palace had won a league game in the first two and a half months of the season, and a hamstring injury caused Richards to lose his place in the starting eleven. The season was slipping away from him. So, a conversation with the Palace assistant, Paddy McCarthy, also a former Palace defender, also helped to change Richards’ season.

He simply said to me directly: ‘What do you want to do with your career? What do you want to do while you’re at the Palace? Do you want to be one of those guys who just keeps going, or do you want to be a guy who aspires to go to a higher caliber club?’

Chris RichardsMcCarthy also provided some tactical advice, encouraging Richards to fall back “as much as you need” to get the ball, that way the passing lanes would open more easily. Richards returned to Palace’s starting eleven at the end of November, becoming a constant force and playing 32 games in all competitions. He ended the season with that remarkable day in May at Wembley in the FA Cup final, with Palace winning 1-0 against Manchester City to win the first major trophy in Palace’s history.

It was an incredible season for the club, but for me personally, I think being part of the club that made history in that way, also being the only player who played every minute in the cup run, and I think overall playing a lot of games, was really beneficial for me.

Chris Richards

Richards noted that the conversation with McCarthy reminded him of those he had when he was 16 years old playing for the Texans SC Houston under the current FC Dallas coach, Eric Quill. It was Quill who brought Richards out of Alabama and took him to Houston, where his Under-18 team won a national championship. Quill remembers how he knew from the beginning that Richards was destined to become a professional, even after he was initially rejected for the FC Dallas academy. Richards had the body movements of a point guard, who played before in his youth, following in the footsteps of his father, Ken, as well as Quill.

His aerial ability was incredible. His reading of the game was of the highest quality because he never had to run at full speed half the time because he read the games very quickly, and any kind of channel duel he had with the wingers, nobody could beat him. And then I saw a few times the fifth gear he could reach, and I said: ‘Well, that’s really the top-end speed’.

Eric Quill

Quill has followed Richards’ career, from his eventual entry into the FC Dallas academy, to Bayern Munich, to TSG Hoffenheim and finally to Palace. Quill’s assessment of why Richards has found that next level is simple: health.

I think he’s been in [the lineup], gets injured, goes back to the bench, comes back. I just think when you start to get that really good form is typically when you’ve had a long run of games and you have that fluency and that rhythm. And I think that’s why his game is booming right now and he’s exuding a lot of confidence in everything he’s doing.

Eric Quill

This includes taking on a leadership role this summer with the USMNT. With the squad primarily composed of younger players who had no international experience, there was a need for players to offer solid performances and strong voices. Ream’s steady and calm presence has long made him one of the team’s leaders, but he couldn’t do it alone. Richards has stepped up and helped the team in that regard.

He has never been one to simply stand still and be quiet, but now listening to him in a match, he is much more vocal, he is much more dominant. His positioning has improved exponentially, and that simply comes with experience. He will continue to improve and improve, which is scary.

Tim Ream

Richards says he has reached the point where he feels comfortable in a leadership role. The nature of the center-back position often requires directing teammates and being demanding. That’s something Richards has long enjoyed, but his level of play has given him more credibility.

You also have to lead by example, and I think that’s something I feel like I do.

Chris Richards

Richards never lets next year’s World Cup be far from his mind. He missed the 2022 edition due to a hamstring injury. He fully intends to be there in 2026.

It really hurt not being part of the ’22 team, whether it was the memories the guys made on the road, or just the performances they also put on. But personally, I want to be a part of that. I want to be a part of history, and I want to be a part of winning history, the right set of history. So I think for me, this is a big year for me, for the club and the country, but I think just doing all the right things at my club so that when it comes to playing for the United States, I’m available and ready and at the highest possible level.

Chris Richards

Richards is on his way.