In a devastating turn of events, USMNT midfielder Johnny Cardoso will miss the 2026 World Cup on home soil after being ruled out for ankle surgery. The 24-year-old Atletico Madrid star, who has battled through a challenging debut season in Spain, suffered the injury during training last week.

What initially appeared to be a standard ankle sprain—expected to sideline him for just a month—has proven far more serious. Atletico Madrid confirmed that Cardoso requires immediate surgery after the injury impacted key arteries in his ankle. According to reports from Diario AS and Marca, the recovery timeline is now approximately two months, meaning he'll return just in time for preseason training next season—but crucially, not in time for the World Cup.

This is a particularly bitter blow for the 24-year-old, who had been finding his rhythm after a difficult start at the Wanda Metropolitano. After logging just 30 appearances in his debut campaign with Los Colchoneros, Cardoso showed promising form in March and April, only to be struck down once again by injury.

Cardoso's international career has been similarly stop-start. Despite earning 23 caps for the United States, he's struggled with consistent availability. He missed the knockout stages of last summer's Gold Cup after featuring in the group phase, and USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino had been carefully monitoring his fitness ahead of this summer's tournament. Pochettino gave Cardoso a run-out in a friendly against Belgium in March—his first appearance for the national team since June of the previous year.

For a player who seemed to be turning a corner, this latest setback is a tough pill to swallow. Cardoso will now watch from the sidelines as his teammates chase glory on home soil, while focusing on a full recovery ahead of next season with Atletico Madrid.