Chris Richards ankle injury update: Is the USMNT defender's World Cup status in doubt?

Outside of Christian Pulisic, if there is one player that the U.S. men's national team can't afford to lose, it would probably be center back Chris Richards.

And with three weeks to go until the World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the USMNT might indeed be looking at the worst-case scenario.

Richards — who has had himself an exceptionally strong season with Premier League club Crystal Palace — limped off the field with an ankle injury against Brentford on Sunday. There was initial optimism that Richards' injury was minor, but the latest update from Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner should have the USMNT awfully concerned.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the Palace manager ruled Richards out for Sunday's Premier League finale against Arsenal. He also called Richards "50/50" to be available for the UEFA Conference League Final on May 27.

The actual description of the injury did not sound encouraging. Via The Guardian:

“Chris will miss the Arsenal game [on Sunday] as well, and it’s now 50/50 for him and for us if he can play in the [Conference League] final [on Wednesday] in Leipzig. He tore two ligaments in his ankle. I think it’s stable, but quite swollen, and we have to deal with the swelling. He has to get back on the pitch to be available, and it takes time.”

The "tore two ligaments" obviously sounds serious to a U.S. sports fan. But it's important to note that any sprain or strain tend to be referred to as "tears" in the UK and Europe because it's, well, technically true. In the U.S., that terminology usually applies to full ruptures or Grade 3 injuries.

If there is hope that Richards could be available for a match in a week, USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has to at least be somewhat optimistic about Richards' World Cup availability.

But either way, it wasn't the update the USMNT was hoping to hear — that's for sure.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Chris Richards ankle injury update: What is the USMNT defender's World Cup status