USMNT World Cup Hopeful Suffers Broken Neck—What’s Next for Mauricio Pochettino?

The USMNT manager has experienced many setbacks in his World Cup roster availability this month.

Jonathan Klinsmann sustained a nasty injury over the weekend. | Gabriele Maricchiolo/NurPhoto/Getty Images

U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino has had another devastating blow to his pool of players for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the third injury setback of April and coming just over a month out from his final decision deadline of May 26. The Argentine boss will be forced to reevaluate his options.

Goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann, son of former USMNT manager and German legend Jürgen Klinsmann, suffered a broken neck on Saturday while playing for Italian side Cesena. The 29-year-old and hopeful World Cup backup was stretchered off the field after a collision in stoppage time that caused a fracture of his first cervical vertebra, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

“During the match I suffered a fracture to my spine, which will sideline me for a while,” Klinsmann posted to Instagram on Monday. “I want to thank everyone on the ground and at the hospital here in Palermo, the fans of both Cesena and Palermo for the warm wishes and of course my friends and family who have supported me over the last few days.

“Good luck to the boys in our playoff push, and I will see you all very soon.”

The news of Klinsmann’s injury comes just a week after U.S. depth left back John Tolkin suffered an inner knee ligament injury, ruling him out for at least the “coming weeks,” and two weeks after U.S. striker Patrick Agyemang sustained a serious Achilles tendon injury, sidelining him for the summer.

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What Are the Next Steps for Pochettino?

The pressure is on Pochettino to get the USMNT past the group stage next summer, requiring a roster in top form. | John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

Klinsmann had featured in every Serie B fixture prior to his injury, collecting five clean sheets for a Cesena in the push for a playoff promotion spot. Although the goalkeeper had yet to make a USMNT appearance, Pochettino included him in both the September and November 2025 camps, including rostering him for the 2–1 win over Paraguay on Nov. 15. Klinsmann also has extensive youth national team experience.

Matt Freese of New York City FC is the Stars and Stripes’ likely starter for World Cup play, having featured in the squad’s March friendly against Portugal, the tougher of the two European foes it faced during the international window.

Pochettino will now need to re-evaluate his best backup options, which include 2022 World Cup starter Matt Turner of the New England Revolution, Chris Brady of the Chicago Fire, Roman Celentano of FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte.

Chris Brady (left) and Patrick Schulte (right) kept clean sheets against each other in MLS action. | Jason Mowry/MLS/Getty Images

The veteran Turner is the likely top backup, despite crumbling in the USMNT’s 5–2 loss to Belgium in the first friendly of the March window. At club level, Turner has an impressive 74.4% save percentage through seven games, starring in the Revolution’s four wins so far this season.

Brady is enjoying a fine start to MLS play this season, boasting a save percentage of 78.4% and four clean sheets for Chicago, helping the squad to a fourth place position in the Eastern Conference. When judging the quality and quantity of shots on target Brady has faced, the average shot-stopper would have conceded between 11 and 12 goals, compared to the lowly eight Chicago’s first-choice has shipped. No other MLS keeper has a better record thus far, per FotMob.

Celentano returned from leg injury this month, which held him out of the March camp, but has yet to fully right FC Cincinnati’s sinking ship. The Orange and Blue sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, and Celentano has conceded four goals in the two matches since his return, with a 66.7% save percentage on the season.

Schulte has a 60% save percentage this season. Columbus are likewise faltering, sitting at 12th in the Eastern Conference with just one win on the season.

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