{"id":31830,"date":"2026-06-07T02:06:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T02:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/31830\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T02:06:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T02:06:12","slug":"usmnt-flips-out-over-robinsons-goal-vs-germany-but-left-with-reminder-of-his-injury-woes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/31830\/","title":{"rendered":"USMNT flips out over Robinson\u2019s goal vs. Germany, but left with reminder of his injury woes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Get free access to the most comprehensive World Cup coverage in The Athletic app<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CHICAGO \u2014 When Antonee Robinson scored the goal of his life<\/a> Saturday against Germany and sprinted right into a backflip celebration, he unleashed months of emotion, of pain and relief, and roared.<\/p>\n

There were times throughout the 2025-26 season when Robinson worried that he\u2019d never overcome a complicated injury<\/a>; that he wouldn\u2019t make it here, to the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\n

But he made it, and on Saturday, in the U.S. men\u2019s national team\u2019s send-off match<\/a>, he reminded everyone how integral a piece of this USMNT he can be.<\/p>\n

He also exited the game with an apparent injury or muscle problem. He and the USMNT staff think it was merely cramps. USMNT fans certainly hope so, and could be forgiven for holding their breath while awaiting the official diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot 100 percent sure,\u201d Robinson said postgame, \u201cbut it feels fine now, it\u2019s settled down, so probably.\u201d<\/p>\n

And so, there was little worry as he walked out of Soldier Field, after a performance that many players were reasonably pleased with. Yes, they lost to Germany 2-1<\/a>, but they feel ready for the World Cup.<\/p>\n

And Robinson feels especially ready.<\/p>\n

He scored the USMNT\u2019s only goal of the friendly, a blinding volley from the top of the box, picked straight out of the air.<\/p>\n

RIP IT AND FLIP IT! A WORLDY FROM JEDI!#USMNT<\/a> x @VW<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3rXxlvHSLz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) June 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI had whiplash watching it go past everybody,\u201d U.S. defender and captain Tim Ream said.<\/p>\n

As the ball looped toward Robinson at the top of the penalty box, cleared by a German defender from a U.S. corner, Ream thought to himself: \u201cIs he gonna? Is he going to?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sure enough, Robinson hit it, and after the match, Ream asked him if he\u2019d \u201cever hit a ball sweeter than that.\u201d Robinson claimed he had, but the ball had pinged off the post. Speaking to reporters moments later, Robinson admitted he\u2019d never scored a goal sweeter than that. \u201cNot quite like that, no,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ream, Robinson\u2019s former club teammate at Fulham, added: \u201cHe deserves it. He\u2019s worked so hard to get here. And to see him connect on a ball like that is just \u2014 it\u2019s otherworldly, really.\u201d<\/p>\n

All players, of course, have worked hard to get to this stage, six days before a World Cup. But Robinson\u2019s past year has been more difficult than most. He was struggling to recover from a knee injury. After offseason surgery, \u201cthe rehab didn\u2019t go as smoothly as I hoped it would,\u201d he explained back in March, when he made his long-awaited return to play for the USMNT after 16 months in between caps. \u201cSo even when I came back and was trying to train and play, I still wasn\u2019t quite ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

He reflected on some of the moments Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarlier on in the season, I felt like I couldn\u2019t really see the light at the end of the tunnel,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cEverything I was doing to try and get well wasn\u2019t working.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut now, I\u2019m feeling in pretty good shape, and happy that we\u2019ve got through the game. And I get to go and help my country in another World Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t sound overly concerned by the physical issue that forced him out of the match in the 63rd minute.<\/p>\n

\u201c[It was] more just, I didn\u2019t really feel like I could continue. So I just needed to get off the pitch and try and get it right,\u201d Robinson said.<\/p>\n

U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino didn\u2019t sound overly concerned either. \u201cThe medical staff said it\u2019s just cramps. Hopefully, it\u2019s just cramps,\u201d Pochettino said with a laugh. \u201cThey can\u2019t be totally sure (yet), but it\u2019s what they say.\u201d<\/p>\n

U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams, when asked if Robinson was OK, initially responded: \u201cFrom what?\u201d<\/p>\n

When told that Robinson was cramping, Adams smiled and said: \u201cOh, he was cramping? I was like, \u2018Bro, you\u2019ve been in England too long. You ain\u2019t play in the MLS heat.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, he\u2019s fine, he\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams also raved about the goal, Robinson\u2019s fifth in a U.S. shirt. \u201cIt was unreal,\u201d he said. He added, with a smile, that he told Robinson: \u201cCan you save that for next weekend?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ream concluded: \u201cIt\u2019s just nice to see him at almost full tilt. When he\u2019s doing backflips, you know he\u2019s feeling good.\u201d<\/p>\n