Chris Richards is making significant strides to portray the United States positively on the football stage. Having received accolades at the national level, he has emerged as a key player, embodying the spirit of representing his country.
On the latest episode of First Things First, aired this past Tuesday, he marked the 100 days countdown to the World Cup by sharing his enthusiasm for the U.S. men’s national soccer team.
Richards’ passion matched his performance, as he was named the USMNT Player of the Year for 2025.
“I was kind of stunned to be fair,” said Richards. “I feel like I had a good year, but I feel like I still have another level to go. I’m not content, I guess, with the year I had. For everybody to have voted for me to Player of the Year, it meant a lot, especially with the group of names that was on there before me.”
Translation: I was somewhat surprised, to be honest. I believe I had a solid year, but I feel there is still more I can achieve. I am not satisfied, really, with what I accomplished this year. It was meaningful for me to be voted Player of the Year, given the notable players who were nominated alongside me.
A defender for Crystal Palace, he contributed to keeping 10 clean sheets in 18 Premier League games in the 2024-25 campaign and nine clean sheets over 24 appearances in the current season. His award celebration included a call to his family, expressing his appreciation for his home city of Birmingham, Alabama.
“Not many people think of Birmingham as this kind of soccer hotbed and, with all the adversity, all the stigmas … being the first one from Birmingham to have won this award, it means a lot,” Richards reflected.
Translation: Few consider Birmingham to be a serious soccer city, and despite the challenges and biases… being the first from Birmingham to earn this accolade carries great significance for me.
Richards also shared the importance of wearing the national colors. He recalled a heated altercation during a friendly with Paraguay last November, where both teams will face each other again as rivals in World Cup Group D.
“This is something I’m passionate about, and it makes you even more passionate when you have that USA on your chest. For me, you know, you can call it bad blood, but every team we go out there and play against we want to beat, and we want to beat badly. If they want to bring a fight to it, so be it. I think that’s one of the things that makes us American is that we’re not afraid of any fights,” he asserted.
Translation: This is a matter I care deeply about, and it fuels my passion to wear the USA emblem. To me, you may refer to it as a rivalry, yet we aim to triumph over every opponent we face. We are eager for those matchups, and if they wish to engage in a tussle, we are ready. That reflects our spirit as Americans – we have no fear of confrontations.
“That’s the mentality we’ve adopted over the last few years, and especially now, playing on home soil, I feel like we have a lot more to play for. You can call it bad blood, but I think every team we play is a rivalry,” he continued.
Translation: This attitude has grown among us recently, especially with us competing at home, and it adds significant motivation. It might be a rivalry, but I consider every match as such.
Historically, host nations have excelled at the World Cup, with only Qatar in 2022 failing to advance past the group stage. Thirteen of the prior 22 host nations have reached at least the semifinals, and eight achieved their best-ever results when hosting.
“Knowing that you’re playing in front of the country whose flag you’re wearing, knowing that you’re playing for more than just yourself,” Richards summarized. “I think it has to be pride.”
Translation: The realization that you’re performing for the nation you represent gives it another layer of significance. You are not just playing for yourself; it embodies a sense of pride.
Chris Richards
