USMNT striker Agyemang ruled out of World Cup with Achilles injury
Patrick Agyemang suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury during Derby County's match Monday, ending his World Cup hopes.
5:44 PM
United States men's national team striker Patrick Agyemang has been ruled out of the FIFA World Cup after suffering a serious Achilles tendon injury, his English club Derby County confirmed Tuesday.
The 25-year-old sustained the injury during Derby's 2-0 home victory over Stoke City in the English Championship on Monday. Agyemang landed awkwardly while bringing the ball down on his chest during the first half and collapsed to the grass. He was carried off on a stretcher, visibly emotional, with his right leg strapped.
"As a result of this injury, Patrick will unfortunately miss this summer's FIFA World Cup," Derby said in a statement. The tournament is scheduled for June and July in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Derby said Agyemang would undergo further assessment of the injury and that the club would provide him with medical care and rehabilitation throughout his recovery. "At this stage it would be wrong to put a timeline on his recovery," the club stated.
Agyemang, a Connecticut-born forward, joined Derby from Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC in his first season with the English club. Charlotte received a club-record "multi-million dollar" fee for the transfer, understood to be a sum that could rise to as much as £7.3 million with add-ons.
The injury comes just days after Agyemang featured in the United States' two most recent international matches in Atlanta. He scored off the bench in the USMNT's 5-2 defeat by Belgium and played the second half in a 2-0 loss against Portugal. Those were his first national team appearances since July 2025.
Agyemang has six goals in 14 USMNT games since making his international debut in January 2025. For Derby this season, he has contributed 10 goals in 37 matches, helping the club's challenge for a playoff spot in the Championship. The injury will also rule him out of Derby's final five regular-season matches.
The forward's career has progressed rapidly. He was selected in the MLS draft from the University of Rhode Island in 2023 and earned his first USMNT cap within two years. Before joining Derby, he scored twice for the United States in the Gold Cup.