USMNT Defender Sergino Dest Suffers Hamstring Injury with PSV

Injury comes just 3 months before 2026 World Cup, putting his tournament participation in doubt.

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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U.S. men's national team defender Sergiño Dest suffered an apparent hamstring injury while playing for his club team PSV against AZ. Dest had to be helped off the field after going down in pain following a collision. PSV coach Peter Bosz admitted he fears a serious injury that could sideline Dest for an extended period, jeopardizing his chances of playing in the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

Why it matters

Dest is a key player for the USMNT and his potential absence from the World Cup would be a major blow to the team's chances. The injury comes just three months before the tournament, leaving little time for Dest to recover and regain fitness.

The details

Dest went down after about 55 minutes following a collision with AZ defender Wouter Goes. The collision left Dest remaining down on the grass, screaming in pain as he clutched at his upper leg. Dest had to be helped off the field, with his USMNT teammate Ricardo Pepi eventually scoring an 86th-minute winner for PSV in a 2-1 victory.

  • The injury occurred around the 55th minute of the PSV vs AZ match on March 7, 2026.
  • The USMNT is scheduled to play friendlies against Belgium and Portugal later this month in Atlanta.

The players

Sergino Dest

A defender for the U.S. men's national team who also plays for the Dutch club PSV.

Peter Bosz

The head coach of PSV, who admitted he fears Dest suffered a serious injury.

Ricardo Pepi

A USMNT teammate of Dest's who scored the winning goal for PSV in the match.

Wouter Goes

The AZ defender involved in the collision that led to Dest's injury.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The USMNT is scheduled to play friendlies against Belgium and Portugal later this month in Atlanta, which were expected to be Dest's final tune-up matches before the World Cup. His availability for those games and the World Cup itself is now in serious doubt.

The takeaway

Dest's injury is a major concern for the USMNT with the World Cup just months away. The team will have to closely monitor his recovery and determine if he can regain fitness in time to play a key role in the tournament.