How Liverpool could still sign Isak despite £265m splurge

The rise, fall and rebirth of England's clutch queen Kelly

Why Europe's elite are chasing AZ's De Bruyne regen

How does Nwaneri fit in to Arsenal's new-look front five?

When Kaka's AC Milan smashed Boca Juniors 

Editors' Picks

Real Madrid vs Al Hilal: Stream, TV channels & where to watch

Pachuca vs Salzburg: Stream, TV channels & where to watch

Manchester City vs Wydad Casablanca: Stream, TV channels & where to watch

Monterrey vs Inter: Stream, TV channels & where to watch

Seat Unique names founding partner of Hill Dickinson Stadium 

Man City outcast Walker reassured over pace questions & future

Newlyweds Dyer & Bowen do not fear famous Strictly ‘curse’

Man City warned off transfer gamble on free agent Pogba 

<ul><li>Twellman called the move "perfect" for both Cardoso</li><li>McCarthy expressed concerns about potential limited playing time </li><li>Both analysts ranked Cardoso's development as a top three storyline</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

‘Johnny Cardoso is a top three biggest storyline’ - Taylor Twellman and Dax McCarty break down USMNT midfielder’s Atlético Madrid move ahead of 2026 World Cup

Club Friendlies

FC Porto

Atletico Madrid

U.S. international Johnny Cardoso completed his transfer from Real Betis to Atletico Madrid last week, becoming the latest American player to join a Champions League-level club in Europe. Former U.S. striker Taylor Twellman described the move as potentially transformative for both Cardoso and the USMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Twellman emphasized that training under manager Diego Simeone could provide Cardoso with defensive tactical knowledge, particularly valuable for a U.S. team likely to defend against stronger opposition in the tournament.“If someone asked me the top three players that I am most interested in going into the World Cup, Johnny Cardoso is in that argument," Twellman said on The Overlap US. "And the reason why I say this is, I think the move is unbelievably timely for the U.S men's national team...If the United States national team in the World Cup next year in their own backyard is going to do anything defensively, they're going to have to be at their best. Johnny Cardoso is going to arguably one of the best technicians in that position, defensively."It is the perfect move if Johnny Cordozo plays 25-plus games going into the World Cup for Atletico Madrid with now, the tactical noose of Diego Simeone, and then you pair him next to a healthy Tyler Adams."Twellman also highlighted how Cardoso's development makes this one of the most important storylines to follow ahead of the World Cup.“I’m telling you right now, Johnny Cordoso is a top three biggest storyline for the next eight months because if he plays a lot for that club in La Liga and Champions League and all the other competitions Dax, that's a wild card that the men's national team has not had for the last two and a half...It's a huge wild card and if it works, that's something that nobody's talking about,” he said.

WHAT HAPPENED

Former Dax McCarthy acknowledged the positive aspects of joining a club like Atletico while expressing concerns about Cardoso's prospects for regular playing time.“I think it's a great move for Johnny Cardoso," McCarty said. "First of all, it's a really big step up in your career. There's not many teams you can go to after playing at a really good, Real Betis team, right? Challenging for a Europa League, Champions League spot. And that you go to one of the biggest teams in Europe in Atletico Madrid, you go for a manager in Diego Simeone who's going to challenge you, who's going to get the best out of you."He added, “It's weird though Taylor, because you hit on it a little bit. He's been so good for his club teams the last couple of years, I've never seen it with the U.S men's national team. I don't understand it. It's one of these weird things where every time I see him with the national team, I'm like, why don't we get the version of Johnny Cardoso that we see with his clubs, because he's excellent."McCarthy noted the importance of consistent minutes during a World Cup year, particularly for a player he considers one of the USMNT's best midfielders when fit. He discussed how Cardoso's game time could influence Mauricio Pochettino's selection decisions.“I think he's got the grit to be able to play for a Diego Simeone team," McCarty said. "I just hope he plays. That's my big concern here going into a World Cup year. I think Johnny Cardoso, when he's fit In form, I think he's one of the best players the U.S men's national team has. He just hasn't always shown it, but if you're not playing weekend week out, I'm really curious to see how Simeone uses him and what Pochettino decides to do with him. If he's not getting games regularly."<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="362" src="https://youtube.com/embed/wwcVWBiFx_o" title="YouTube video player" width="644"></iframe>

WHAT DAX MCCARTY SAID

This isn't the first major move in Cardoso's career. The Brazilian-American, who was born in Denville, N.J., started his career in Brazil - making his professional debut for Internacional. He made 117 league appearances for the storied club before making the leap to La Liga with Real Betis.

DID YOU KNOW?

Cardoso will begin training with Atletico Madrid in the coming weeks as the team prepares for their La Liga campaign.

WHAT’S NEXT?

‘Johnny Cardoso is a top three biggest storyline’ - Taylor Twellman and Dax McCarty break down USMNT midfielder’s Atlético Madrid move ahead of 2026 World Cup | Goal.com

The two analysts shared contrasting perspectives on the American’s move to the La Liga side with both emphasizing the implications for the USMNT

Next Match