AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 07: Ricardo Pepi #16 of the United States celebrates with Brenden Aaronson #11 of the United States and Antonee Robinson #5 of the United States after scoring against Jamaica in the second half of a 2022 World Cup Qualifying match at Q2 Stadium on October 07, 2021 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Getty Images
If the United States is to be successful at the 2026 World Cup, the team needs healthy bodies at every position.
Not just in the core positions – up the middle in goal, central defense, midfielder and striker.
That includes the outside backs.
Especially at left back.
Antonee Robinson plays that position for his club in the Premier League in England, Fulham, and the U.S. Men’s National Team.
He was so effective for on both sides of the ball on both sides of the ball that he was named the Cottagers’ 2023-24 player of the year and 2024 U.S. Soccer male player of the year, respectively. Robinson, who started 11 games and helped the Americans to four shutouts, also scored a goal in the Concacaf Nations League that year.
He was so effective joining the Fulham attack last season that he finished tied for fourth place in the league with 10 assists. An outside back among the assist leaders in any league, let alone one of the best circuits in the world?
That’s unheard of.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 19: Antonee Robinson of Fulham celebrates after Michael Keane of Everton scores their sides own goal during the Carabao Cup Quarter Final match between Everton and Fulham at Goodison Park on December 19, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Getty Images
A rare commodity
He has used his speed and soccer know-how to know when to bolt down the left flank and become part of the attack and cross the ball into a teammate for Fulham and the USA.
That’s how valuable he is.
These days, however, Robinson, better known as Jedi to teammates, friends and even the media, is fighting for his position on Fulham.
His recovery from a right knee injury and subsequent surgery has slowed him down.
“Still not quite back to feeling 100 percent on it as I was year ago, kind of before the injury first happened,” he said during a Zoom press conference on Wednesday. “But getting there slowly. There hasn’t really been a specific conversation about how many minutes I’m going to play this trip, if any.”
Robinson was referring to the pair of friends the USMNT has on its schedule. The Americans meet Ecuador in Austin, Texas on Friday night, Oct. 10 and then Australia in Commerce City, Colo. on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JUNE 29: Head coach Mauricio Pochettino of United States gestures before the Gold Cup 2025 Quarterfinals against Costa Rica at U.S. Bank Stadium on June 29, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Backed by his coach
“He is an important player for us, it’s a moment to bring him in,” U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino said last week. “Of course, we were talking with his club, and we are going to try to manage him in the best way, but it’s important that he can be with us, with the group, with [his] teammates.”
The 28-year-old defender has seen limited action overseas this season as he has been used as a substitute in three of seven league matches this campaign. He did play the entire way in the 1-0 victory over Cambridge United (League Two) in the Carabao Cup on Sept. 23.
Robinson, who has recorded four goals and eight assists in 50 international appearances, incurred the injury in October 2024, in Americans’ friendlies vs. Panama and Mexico.
“I basically got dead leg on the top of my knee, on my quadricep tendon, which slightly split my tendon open and that bleeding led to calcification and stuff and I developed a bit of tendinopathy in my knee,” he said.
“It was pretty painful from probably November onwards for the rest of the duration of the season and I was managing my load, trying to make sure I could play games and things like that. And then after seeing various specialists and surgeons, the decision was that I probably wasn’t going to get over the other side of it unless I had surgery to scrape out the calcification that was in my tendon and kind of clean the area out.”
Because he cannot go at full throttle, Robinson has lost his job at Fulham on the left side, at least temporarily, to Ryan Sessegnon, who has played well.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 15: Ryan Sessegnon of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 15, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Trying to recapture his position
Let’s face it. For a player to be sharp, especially for the World Cup, he needs to be playing regularly. That plagued U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner as he competed in only cup matches for Crystal Palace last season and he lost his starting role on the USMNT to Matt Freese this past summer.
“Sess has been doing really well, so even when I get back to full fitness it’s going to be difficult for me to get my place back in the team,” Robinson said. “I’m just going to have to try and raise my level as high as I can and be ready to be called upon when needed.”
“I’m getting there and doing everything I can on and off the pitch to make sure I can stay fit and get back to where I was. Obviously, the gaffer knows that I’m not 100 percent myself yet, but even if that’s the case he still sees me as a useful tool at some point.”
For Antonee Robinson, it needs to be sooner than later.
Disclaimer: This news has been automatically collected from the source link above. Our website does not create, edit, or publish the content. All information, statements, and opinions expressed belong solely to the original publisher. We are not responsible or liable for the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any news, nor for any statements, views, or claims made in the content. All rights remain with the respective source.