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U.S. men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino is preparing to unveil his final 26-man World Cup squad in just four days. With the announcement rapidly approaching, not every player in Pochettino's consideration pool feels confident about securing a spot on soccer's biggest stage.
Among those players is center back Miles Robinson. The FC Cincinnati defensive stalwart has earned 38 caps with the senior national team since making his debut in 2019, making him a likely candidate for the tournament. Nevertheless, Pochettino has an abundance of quality center backs available, which leaves Robinson's inclusion uncertain, as does his track record with injuries.
The 29-year-old last appeared for the Stars and Stripes in November, playing the full 90 minutes in the U.S.'s 2–1 victory over Paraguay. He remained on the bench as an unused substitute in the subsequent friendly against Uruguay, highlighting the depth of options at Pochettino's disposal, which includes Tim Ream, Auston Trusty, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, and Alex Freeman.
Robinson received a call-up to the USMNT's most recent March international window but was forced to withdraw due to a groin injury. Injury also prevented him from participating in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, after Robinson ruptured his left Achilles tendon in March of that year, ruling him out of contention. His most recent setback came just last month, when he missed three MLS matches due to a separate leg injury.
Robinson reports feeling healthy and has reclaimed his spot in Cincinnati's starting lineup. His primary focus is remaining composed, despite the anticipation surrounding Pochettino's upcoming roster announcement and the ongoing question of whether he has done enough to earn a place in the Argentine coach's plans.
"Definitely grateful to be back from injury and feeling strong," Robinson says. "Overall, I am definitely happy."
How Robinson handles the nerves
Pochettino will reveal the much-anticipated roster to a live crowd of supporters at Pier 17 in New York City on May 26. The next day, the squad will convene for a pre-World Cup training camp ahead of warm-up friendlies against Germany and Senegal. The U.S. opens tournament action on June 12 against Group D opponent Paraguay in Los Angeles.
"It's always kind of in the back of my mind," Robinson says about the looming announcement. "But I realized I'm the best player and person when I really focus on the present and taking care of business in the moment. Recognizing that the moment is king, and whatever happens in the future is not important right now. So I try to continue to play and live by those type of rules.
"I don't want to think about it too much and almost jinx myself," he adds.
For Robinson, staying present is almost like a meditative practice.
"As long as I can continue to be completely dialed and grounded in on the moment, then I know I can be a good player and good person both on and off the field," he says. "It's when you take the situation for granted, or take the moment for granted, or almost kind of overthink the future, that's when you get in some trouble."
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While Robinson's priority is managing his nerves, it's equally important to appreciate the magnitude of the chance to represent his nation on home soil. The significance extends to the entire country as well.
"It's an insane opportunity for the U.S. in general, just to bridge the gap between so many different cultures and communities and people, just recognizing that the whole world is almost stopping to watch a tournament," he says. "It helps us to recognize that we are more alike than unlike. That's the type of thought process that can really push society and the world forward.
"If I knew I was in this situation when I was seven, I would look at my current self in awe," he adds.
Should Robinson earn a place in the final roster, he and his U.S. teammates will round out Group D play against Australia and Türkiye in Seattle and Los Angeles, respectively, before turning their attention to the knockout rounds.