USMNT World Cup roster watch: Sergiño Dest is back, but the real concern is the back line

We have reached the point of the World Cup countdown where every crunching challenge, every slight limp and every premature exit from a club match is a matter of concern for national team bosses and anxiety-ridden fans.

A late-season injury — or, in the case, of Major League Soccer, an early-season setback — could very well impact roster selections and lineup decisions ahead of this summer’s footy festival.

Brazil will arrive without Real Madrid’s Rodrygo (ACL). France will miss Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike (Achilles tendon). The Netherlands lost Tottenham’s Xavi Simons (ACL). Mexico’s top goalkeeper, Club América’s Luis Angel Malagon, is out with a ruptured Achilles. Spain’s teen phenom, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, is in a race against time because of a hamstring ailment.

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino has not confronted any catastrophic setbacks and, until his squad gathers late this month for World Cup training camp, he will pray it remains that way.

Yes, Derby County’s Patrick Agyemang injured his Achilles this spring but was not certain of making the 26-man roster. Holstein Kiel’s John Tolkin (knee) and St. Pauli’s James Sands (ankle) were long shots before their injuries, and Celtic’s Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles) has been out since October.

The weekend delivered heartening news — Sergiño Dest’s return to active duty after almost two months away — but also ongoing concern about center backs Tim Ream and Miles Robinson.

Right back at the right time as Sergiño Dest of PSV returns with the World Cup clock ticking.

(Soccrates Images via Getty Images)

Dest, Pochettino’s first-choice right back, was in uniform for PSV Eindhoven for the first time since injuring a hamstring March 7. He entered in the 59th minute of a 2-2 draw at Ajax, leaving two remaining Eredivisie outings to continue regaining match fitness — and avoiding a setback — before U.S. camp opens May 27 in Greater Atlanta.

Should all go well, Pochettino would aim to start Dest in one or both of the last tuneups: May 31 against Senegal in Charlotte and June 6 against Germany in Chicago. The World Cup opener is June 12 against Paraguay in Inglewood, California.

The state of the back line, though, is far from perfect. Already lacking central depth, Pochettino is monitoring the status of Ream and Robinson.

Ream, a core player since Pochettino’s appointment in fall of 2024, has missed 4½ matches across all competitions for Charlotte FC with an adductor injury. On Thursday, Charlotte coach Dean Smith said Ream, 38, had a setback in his recovery but should return Saturday against Cincinnati.

Robinson — a possible World Cup selection who missed the March friendlies with a groin injury — has missed three consecutive Cincinnati matches and, because of ailments and a red card, logged just 64 minutes in six weeks. Both Charlotte and Cincinnati have four matches before Pochettino announces his roster May 26 in New York.

The center-back corps also includes Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards, Celtic’s Auston Trusty, Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie and Vancouver’s Tristan Blackmon.

Here’s how the prime World Cup candidates performed over the weekend:

Defensive midfielder Tyler Adams started for the first time since returning from a hamstring injury three weeks ago, registering 70 minutes in Bournemouth’s 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Adams was a second-half sub the previous three matches for the Cherries, who are unbeaten in 15 straight Premier League games to surge into sixth place.

Richards was slated to rest ahead of Thursday’s second leg of the UEFA Conference League semifinals against Shakhtar Donetsk — Palace won the opener, 3-1, last week — but a teammate’s injury required his services in the 76th minute.

Left back Antonee Robinson’s first start since April 11 was a forgettable one as he struggled in Fulham’s 3-0 loss at first-place Arsenal.

Midfielder Brenden Aaronson was a 72nd-minute sub as Leeds moved seven points clear of the relegation zone with a 3-0 triumph over relegated Burnley.

On the final day of the second-flight Championship, defensive midfielder Aidan Morris — a World Cup roster bubble-dweller — played his usual 90 minutes in Middlesbrough’s 2-2 draw at Wrexham. By finishing fifth, his club will face fourth-place Southampton in a two-leg promotion playoff semifinal. Millwall and Hull City are in the other bracket.

With a second-half appearance in first-place Coventry City’s 4-0 win at Watford, striker Haji Wright finished tied for second in league scoring with 17 goals. He had 18 in all competitions — his sixth straight season with at least 12 — and earned a place on the league’s Team of the Season.

Christian Pulisic’s 2026 scoreless streak swelled to 17 Serie A matches — and 19 for club and country — during a 31-minute spell in AC Milan’s 2-0 loss at Sassuolo. Shut out for the fifth time in seven matches, Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri called the performance “the worst of the season.”

It comes amid reports Manchester United is interested in acquiring Pulisic, who has one year left on his Milan contract.

Weston McKennie began Juventus’ 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona as a wing back before moving into the midfield.

France

With the first goal in a 2-1 comeback victory at Metz, Monaco’s Folarin Balogun resumed his sensational 2026 by scoring in the ninth of 10 Ligue 1 appearances and increasing his season haul to 13. He also has five goals in the Champions League and one in the Coupe de France for 19 overall — three short of his career high at Reims in 2022-23.

McKenzie logged 90 in Toulouse’s 2-1 win at Strasbourg. Though apparently healthy, midfielder Tanner Tessmann was left out of Lyon’s matchday squad by coach Paulo Fonseca before a 4-2 victory over Rennes.

Winger Tim Weah served a yellow-card suspension for Olympique Marseille’s 3-0 loss at Nantes.

Germany

Usually a right wing back, Joe Scally started on the left and played 90 minutes in Mönchengladbach’s 1-0 upset of second-place Borussia Dortmund. Midfielder Gio Reyna entered in the 70th minute; he hasn’t started since Dec. 18.

Midfielder Malik Tillman entered in the 85th of Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-1 win over RB Leipzig, his sixth consecutive match without starting.

Spain

After serving exclusively as a sub for the start of his Villarreal tenure, right back Alex Freeman was in the lineup for the second consecutive La Liga match, going the distance in a 3-1 win over Levante.

After starting the Champions League semifinal opener vs. Arsenal last week, midfielder Johnny Cardoso was rested ahead of Tuesday’s second leg in London as Atlético Madrid won at Valencia, 2-0.

Netherlands

In PSV Eindhoven’s 2-2 draw at Ajax, striker Ricardo Pepi scored in the first minute — his fourth goal in three matches, 14th in league play and 17th in 31 appearances overall.