FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — The thing about Miles Robinson getting stretchered off the field in May 2022 with what was eventually diagnosed as a torn Achilles is, there wasn’t anything like a guarantee that he’d get a chance to play at another World Cup.
Robinson had started 11 qualifiers for the USMNT in that cycle, and looked essentially secure for a spot in Qatar before injury ripped it away. He was 24, and you figured he would be back. But just ask guys like Yunus Musah, Jesús Ferreira, Luca de la Torre, Josh Sargent or Cameron Carter-Vickers, all of whom made the roster four years ago at 24 or under, all of whom fell out of contention to make it this year long before the 26-man group was announced, what that means.
Coaches change, injuries happen, form goes up and down. Four years is a long time.
Robinson, who plays for FC Cincinnati, was considered a likely starter in 2022. At an educated guess, he’s probably the last center back, or close to it, on Mauricio Pochettino’s depth chart, and was one of a few players who didn’t help themselves in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Senegal. Whatever. He’s here.
“It’s surreal,” Robinson said. “It’s definitely an experience I’ve been waiting for, kinda working for my whole life. Just to be in this means a lot and then recognizing we got so much more to work for, so much more to prove. So it’s just taking it step by step and going from there.”
Indeed, from rehab onwards, everything Robinson has done for four years has been with this World Cup in mind. Granted, that hardly makes him unique among the USMNT contingent, or really any of the 1,000-plus players at this World Cup.
But he might know better than most how fickle the opportunity can be.
“I wanted to be a part of this group,” he said. “Every day in the last almost year, I’ve been using this as motivation to push forward to try to be on this team. I’m grateful to be in this position. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.”
Chris Richards (ankle) worked off to the side during the portion of training open to reporters. Tyler Adams was back with the group after missing Tuesday’s training due to load management.
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