U.S. men’s national team defender Sergino Dest picked up an apparent hamstring injury during PSV’s win over AZ Alkmaar on Saturday, raising concerns about his availability as preparation continues for the World Cup on home soil in the summer.
Dest started and played 57 minutes in PSV’s 2-1 victory, coming off after going down to the ground and receiving medical treatment. The 25-year-old was helped off the field by medical staff as he exited the match, though the severity of the injury and the potential recovery timeline were initially unclear.
The defender is considered amongst the U.S.’ first-choice starters, his attacking skills valued as a wingback. He has one assist in his last four games for the USMNT, which came in the group’s statement-making 5-1 win over Uruguay in November.
Dest only returned to the USMNT fold in September after tearing his ACL in 2024, which kept him away from the national team for more than a year. He has only played four games under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who took charge in October 2024, though Dest is a natural fit in a tactical approach that values attack-minded play on the wings.
The player, though, has played steadily for PSV over the course of the season as they chase their third Eredivisie title in a row. Dest has 35 appearances across all competitions this season, notching two goals and five assists along the way.
The USMNT return to play at the end of the month with friendlies against Belgium and Portugal at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which will be the team’s final games before Pochettino names his World Cup roster in late May.
Pochettino’s side will play pre-World Cup friendlies against Senegal and Germany before opening the tournament against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles area. They continue Group D play against Australia at Seattle’s Lumen Field before returning to SoFi Stadium to close out group play against one of Turkiye, Slovakia, Kosovo or Romania, who will take part in a continental playoff this month to book their ticket to the World Cup.
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