20-year-old USMNT midfielder Richard Ledezma suffered a torn ACL while playing for PSV Eindhoven in the Europa League on Thursday, the club confirmed on Friday.
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Ledezma started the game for PSV — his second start for the club since making his first-team debut back in November, just three weeks before making his international debut — and was injured early in the first half. Richard Ledezma will miss the remainder of the 2020-21 season.
He is also almost certain to miss the entire spring and summer for the USMNT, which will feature the CONCACAF Nations League finals, CONCACAF Gold Cup and the start of 2022 World Cup qualifying.
Ledezma was tracking back defensively and fighting hard to position himself between the ball and opposition player when the injury occurred. His right foot appeared to stick into the ground as he and the attacking player collided.
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The former Real Salt Lake academy product joined PSV in December 2018 and starred for the club’s second team for the better part of two seasons before being promoted to the first team. Understandably heartbroken, Richard Ledezma has vowed to come back better and stronger than before — via Ledezma’s Instagram account: