U.S. men's national team defender trains fully four days before World Cup opener
A defender returned to full training with the squad on Monday in Irvine, California. The session occurred four days before the team's opening match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium.
CBS SportsA U.S. men's national team defender trained fully with teammates for the first time since camp opened 12 days earlier. The light session at Great Park in Irvine included a running warm-up, small-group ball work, and shooting practice. The session took place in front of 5,500 spectators selected through a FIFA lottery from 33,000 applicants.
Starters from a prior 2-1 match worked separately from the rest of the group.
Coach comments on participation Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said the defender's workload would be assessed during the session. "We will see," he stated when asked how the player would manage the day's load. "Today, first time with the team. " The coach also noted ongoing challenges obtaining timely fitness information from clubs.
"We thought he might be available against Senegal but the timelines kept dragging it out," Pochettino said.
