Tim Ream will captain the USMNT at the World Cup: ‘We’re so lucky to have a player like him’

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — Veteran centerback Tim Ream was named the U.S. men’s soccer team captain for the World Cup. It’s not surprising, since Mauricio Pochettino has given Ream the armband in 17 of 24 games since arriving in 2024. But the manager still took a moment Saturday to make it official.

“I am so grateful that he is with us because he was a great captain not only on the field, [but] maybe more important, off the field,” Pochettino said. “For me, one of the most important things is to connect with the players, to connect through the players that have experience, and I think he’s amazing. We’re so lucky to have a player like him with his personality and his character involved and helping the young players, and the player that also have experience.

He said it was “my decision” with “a group of people that I really trust, that always I listen [to].” It was not a player vote, which is the other way some teams do it.

Pochettino used a dash of humor to say it doesn’t guarantee Ream a place on the field in every game, and Ream took it as intended. But the bigger point about Ream’s intangibles was clear.

“Playing or not playing, he’s the captain,” Pochettino said. “It’s not now he’s the captain, he’s going to be for sure in the starting 11 — that doesn’t mean that. But [what’s] important always is going to be, with the armband or without the armband, he’s the captain and he’s a great guy.

Ream thanked his boss for the honor.

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“This is more than a dream come true,” he said. “I’ve done everything possible to be a part of this group, to help this group along and I’m just really, really grateful to be sitting here, to have this honor. … It’s the highest honor for me with this group, and for the World Cup, and I’m not going to take that for granted.”

One of the most important players in the U.S. squad won’t play in Sunday’s tuneup game vs. Senegal in Charlotte (3:30 p.m., TBS, Telemundo 62). Injured centerback Chris Richards will stay behind at the national training center as he rehabs torn ankle ligaments that he suffered playing for his club, England’s Crystal Palace.

“I think he needs to keep doing his rehab, and I think it’s much better to stay here and plan to train and reevaluate next week how he is,” said Pochettino, who added that the decision was made by the team’s medical and performance staffs.

Though his absence will be felt, many fans won’t complain. Getting him healthy for the World Cup is the priority, and there’s no point risking him this weekend. The projections remain that he’ll be healthy for the Americans’ World Cup opener on June 12 vs. Paraguay.

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Richards, a 26-year-old Alabama native, arrived at camp on Friday in good spirits. He also looked sprightly on Wednesday when Palace won the Europa Conference League final, its first European trophy, and he ran onto the field to celebrate with teammates.

When Pochettino was asked if he’s confident Richards will be ready for the World Cup, he couldn’t help shrugging.

“I was asking from yesterday, when I arrived, to Jesús [Pérez, his top assistant] 100 times, ‘What do you think? What do you think? Which information do we have we have?’” he answered. “The answer was, ‘Wait, wait, wait, wait.’ Yes, it’s too early. We need to see. The next few days are going to be key to see the possibility of being ready or not for the World Cup.”

Though the team has been publicly announced, the tournament roster is not officially due to FIFA until June 1. After that, an injured player can be replaced up to 24 hours before a team’s first game.

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The other 25 players are fit to go, including Brenden Aaronson, who returned to camp from his wedding on schedule Friday morning.

Once Aaronson got on the field, he drew notice for another reason: His right knee was wrapped. There was no word about why, but it didn’t seem to limit him during the time media could watch practice.

If you don’t watch African soccer much, you might think you don’t know much about Senegal’s national team. But take a look at their roster, and you’ll quickly see it’s full of big names from top clubs.

There are stars in forward Sadio Mané and centerback Kalidou Koulibaly, veterans of the English Premier League who now play in Saudi Arabia; and hot young prospects in forwards Nicolas Jackson and Assane Diao.

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There will also be familiar faces to U.S. players and staff. Midfielder Lamine Camara and defender Krépin Diatta play with striker Folarin Balogun at France’s AS Monaco, and terrific forward Ismaïla Sarr plays with Richards in London. Pochettino coached veteran midfielder Idrissa Gueye at France’s Paris Saint-Germain a few years ago.

The Lions of Teranga won the Africa Cup of Nations title in January, but it was controversially stripped from them and handed to runner-up Morocco a month later over Senegal players leaving the field amid a referee’s controversial call. The matter is now with the international Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“I don’t know if it’s [right] to say it was the champion,” Pochettino said of Senegal, drawing a few laughs in the room. “I don’t want to disrespect one or another team. But the quality is amazing.”

That much is for sure. Senegal’s first two World Cup games, against star-studded France and Norway — coincidentally both in North Jersey — are among the most-anticipated matchups in the entire group stage.

“I think it’s a fantastic team,” Pochettino said, calling it “one of the contenders for the World Cup … I have no doubt, because of the capacity and the quality of the players.”

The World Cup in Philly

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