Bad news for Mauricio Pochettino as USMNT key player is ruled out of 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup due to injury
Mauricio Pochettino started the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup on a high note as the USMNT look to end their trophy drought since 2021. However, the coach has suffered a blow to his roster with a key player forced to withdraw from the tournament after sustaining an injury.
The USMNT has already secured a spot in the Gold Cup quarterfinals following a dominant 5-0 win in the opener against Trinidad and Tobago and a narrow 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on Thursday. But with one group stage game remaining, the squad has been hit with unfortunate news.
U.S. forward Haji Wright has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering an Achilles tendon injury. Wright had already missed the match against Saudi Arabia due to the issue, and now the decision has been made for him to return to his club in England for further evaluation.
The USMNT’s official X account released a statement confirming the situation: “TEAM NEWS: Haji Wright is dealing with an Achilles issue that will not be resolved in time for him to continue competing in the tournament. He will return to Coventry City for further evaluation and treatment.”
Wright had made an impact in the opening match, scoring as a substitute in the team’s 5-0 rout. The extent of the injury and his recovery timeline have not yet been disclosed, but the setback comes at a tough time for both the Coventry City forward and the national team.
Can Wright be replaced?
Wright’s absence comes at an unfortunate moment as he was expected to be one of the key options up front after an impressive season in England’s Championship. Now, Pochettino is left with a thinner attacking unit.
Gold Cup regulations prevent the U.S. from replacing Wright on the roster. With attacking stars like Christian Pulisic, Giovanni Reyna, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Josh Sargent already absent from the tournament, Pochettino will have to look for new solutions to bolster the attack for the remainder of the Gold Cup.