U.S. Men's National Team defender Chris Richards has brought an unusual companion to the World Cup: a rubber chicken named Paxo, or possibly Dave. This distinctive mascot, adopted after it was thrown onto the pitch following Crystal Palace's Europa Conference League victory, now resides with Richards at the team's base in California.
Richards, a key figure in the U.S. defense, also travels with a pillowcase made from the blanket he was born with. These personal items are part of a series of superstitions and rituals the 26-year-old employs, including always starting with his left foot and wearing specific footwear for consecutive games if they precede a successful performance. He carefully guards his pillowcases, especially one featuring a photo with his daughter, ensuring they do not get lost in laundry.
Defensive Strength and Ambition
Richards has been instrumental in anchoring the U.S. defense, which has conceded only one goal in three games at the tournament. This defensive solidity is a crucial factor as the team prepares to face Belgium in the round of 16. Richards acknowledges the tough nature of defending and humorously attributes his longer hair to an attempt to gain an advantage in aerial duels and to unsettle opponents.
"My main role is to defend and I love doing that," Richards stated. "I love tough tackles, I love shoulder to shoulders, I love headers, I love all that stuff... I grew my hair out so I could win some more headers or throw people off!"
He believes it is uncommon for an entire backline to embrace the more physical aspects of defending, noting that some players might avoid such challenges. Richards, however, relishes the opportunity to frustrate opposing attackers, a trait he sees as valuable given the tournament's emergence of superstar forwards.
Facing Top Talent and Making History
The defender expressed no fear of facing elite strikers, citing his experience playing against top forwards like Erling Haaland during his time at Crystal Palace. The upcoming match against Belgium presents another significant challenge, featuring formidable players like Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne. The U.S. team recently ended a 13-game winless streak against European opponents, and Richards hopes to initiate a new winning streak.
"Maybe it's our turn to start a new streak," Richards said. "Hopefully we can make some more history."
Despite the absence of striker Folarin Balogun, who has scored three goals in the tournament, the team has shown resilience. The U.S. defense, featuring Richards, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, and Antonee Robinson, has held strong even when shorthanded, as seen in their victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina after Balogun received a red card.
Richards is optimistic about the team's potential to win the World Cup. "Some people can be content with winning things," he remarked. "I want to keep winning more. I want to keep making history – whether it's for a club or country."
He added, "It's been good to win stuff and to prove to the world that we do deserve to be here… but ultimately, I want to win this big trophy at the end of the summer. It's going to take a lot of hard work. It's going to take a lot of results. But I think we've shown so far in this tournament that we can definitely do that."
If the U.S. team achieves the ultimate goal of winning the World Cup, Richards intends for his rubber chicken to share in the triumph. "He should definitely have his own medal!" he declared.