With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, GOAL looks at the state of the central defenders vying for spots next summer
For most of this World Cup cycle – and going back to the 2022 cycle, in truth – centerback has been a question mark for the U.S. men's national team. For years, the program has waited for a new generation to rise. That process has finally started, at least at the very top of the roster.
Chris Richards is the USMNT's top centerback. If that was in doubt, it isn't after the Gold Cup. After winning the FA Cup with Crystal Palace, Richards grew ito a leader this summer, shedding his "Centerback of the Future" label to become the "Centerback of the Here and Now." That is a huge win for Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT, who have a leader at the back that has shown he can compete at the highest levels.
The thing about this position, though, is that you need at least two of them. Richards is a building block, but he needs a partner next to him to create the foundation upon which the USMNT is created. There are contenders, both inexperienced and veteran, and the push to be CB2 is one that will go down to the wire. And it's vital to find the answer, as Pochettino looks to construct the spine of his team for a World Cup.
Post-Gold Cup, GOAL is looking at the state of the USMNT, analyzing the positional battles that will ultimately define next summer's team. Next up: centerbacks.
Getty ImagesThe Starters: Chris Richards, Tim Ream
One of these is written in Sharpie, other in pencil.
Richards is the former, the player who has locked down a spot. There are few in the USMNT pool safer than Richards at the moment, and none of them are his fellow centerbacks. At the Gold Cup, in particular, he raised his game to a new level and established a leadership role. The question is no longer if Richards is the starter – it's if he's the captain of this team.
Tim Ream, meanwhile, was his partner all summer long, proving for the millionth time that age is just a number. The age will catch up to him eventually but so far, it hasn't – and Pochettino doesn't seem to think it will before the World Cup kicks off. If Pochettino was ultimately concerned about preparing a new centerback, he surely would have done so this summer. Instead, he rolled with Ream, indicating that he sees the Charlotte FC defender as Richards' most likely partner.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe Backups: Mark McKenzie, Walker Zimmerman
Mark McKenzie is one of the more interesting players in the pool. Many expected he'd be partnering Richards this summer, if only just to see what he would look like with an extended runout. It didn't happen. After a tough game against Switzerland, he was largely unused, as Pochettino preferred Ream throughout the Gold Cup.
McKenzie has had hiccups with the USMNT, of course, but he's also never quite had a true chance to prove himself. The fact that it didn't come this summer will certainly be disappointing, even if he seems to be the clear No. 3 centerback.
As for Walker Zimmerman, he's something of a specialist, one who fits well within a 26-player roster. He's a great locker room guy and a great leader, one who has the respect of the younger generation due to his time with many of them at the Olympics.
Additionally, he's embraced his role as a potential "closer." Much like a relief pitcher in baseball, Zimmerman has proven to be a player who can help see a game out, something that is even more important in tournament play. Because of that, and his performances in MLS, he seems to have a place.
Getty Images SportIn The Mix: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Miles Robinson
Miles Robinson was the only one of this trio in USMNT camp this summer, but don't write off the Celtic duo just yet. Both Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty play at a high level with the Scottish giants, including games in the Champions League.
Just as importantly, they play together, which means they have natural chemistry and a natural baseline to compare them. Their chemistry won't make much of a difference this cycle, given Richards' ascendency into that top spot. Because of that, both will now be among those vying to partner him while collectively pushing things with Celtic.
As for Robinson, his goal is to continue to deliver for FC Cincinnati. He's an MLS All-Star this season and a perennial best XI contender. Still, his ceiling seem to be somewhat limited, spending his prime in MLS.
Getty Images SportFor The Future: Noahkai Banks, Josh Wynder, Jalen Neal
There are some good, young centerbacks on the horizon, even if we haven't seen them much with the USMNT. Noahkai Banks has played for the U.S. up to the U20 level and, even after a small breakthrough with Augsburg in the Bundesliga this season, seems committed to the program.
Despite the dual-national panic around him, Banks, just 18, is still a very raw prospect, one looking to continue blossoming for club and, at some point soon, country.
Josh Wynder, meanwhile, looks close to a breakthrough at Benfica as he inches closer to the first team. Few clubs in the world are better at developing talent than the Portuguese side, who invested in Wynder early after he emerged at Louisville City in the USL. He's been at Benfica for two years but is still just 20, a virtual toddler in centerback years.
As for Jalen Neal, he does have USMNT caps under his belt, having appeared six times in 2023. He hasn't featured since, though, and was traded to CF Montreal this offseason, allowing him to lock down a starting role with his new club.