USMNT star Chris Richards hoping to go where only three Americans have gone before
The Crystal Palace defender is one game away from another landmark moment in a remarkable year for club and country.
USMNT defender Chris Richards can lift silverware for the third time in a little over a year on Wednesday, when Crystal Palace take on Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final. If the Premier League club are successful, Richards will become only the fourth American to win a European club competition.
Two Americans have previously been part of Champions League-winning teams. The one you’ll almost certainly remember is current USMNT star Christian Pulisic, who became the first American to play in the final in Chelsea’s 2021 victory over Manchester City.
Former LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids forward Jovan Kirovski had earlier become the first American to win the competition with Borussia Dortmund in 1997, although he didn’t appear in the final against Juventus.
When Borussia Dortmund won the Champions League in 1997, JOVAN KIROVSKI became the first American to do so. 🇺🇸
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) May 31, 2024
Kirovski didn't play in final but twice appeared in group play. Trailblazing striker from Escondido, CA later went on to become first American to score a UCL goal. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/EmukibRg5w
A rare club for American players
The only other American to lift a European trophy is Timothy Chandler, who was born in Germany and has spent his entire career there, but earned 29 caps for the USMNT between 2011 and 2016 because of his American father.
Right back Chandler won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, although he was an unused substitute in the final. Fellow American James Sands was part of the Rangers squad defeated by the Bundesliga club.
Palace chasing another historic moment
Richards has already made history with Palace and could add another chapter on Wednesday. The Eagles won the first major trophy in club history in the 2024-25 FA Cup and followed it up by clinching the Community Shield at the start of this season.
Now, Palace and Richards are potentially only 90 minutes away from a first-ever European triumph.
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