USMNT, Fulham star Antonee Robinson says tendon issue prompted decision to withdraw from CONCACAF Nations League squad

Antonee Robinson, U.S. international and leading Fulham left back, revealed that he's been suffering from tendinopathy for the past few months. This recurring condition has forced him to withdraw from the USMNT squad for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League matches, prioritizing his health.

“Nobody hates missing matches more than me. It was a very difficult decision to miss this international break but I’ve been struggling with tendinopathy for a few months now and it’s increasingly difficult to manage. After consulting with both medical teams, with the quick turnaround of the Nations League games I don’t think I could have contributed to the team at a good enough level,” Robinson said in a Instagram post.

The defender hopes this recovery period will allow him to be included in the Gold Cup this summer.

"This is probably the only opportunity to try and get on top of this issue, finish the season strong, and give myself the best chance of being back in the U.S. this summer in much better shape and ready for another tournament," he wrote.

Tendinopathy is any condition that affects a tendon, causing pain and reducing its functionality. Most people injure tendons by overusing them, and tendinopathy can begin when a tendon injury can’t heal.

The American left-back has been arguably one of the best full-backs in the Premier League this season, playing a key role in Fulham’s rise up the table. So much so, that only Mohamed Salah has more assists (17) than Antonee Robinson (10) which makes him a big miss for the USMNT.

With Antonee Robinson out of the international break, the USMNT will have to tackle their CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against Panama on March 21 without the full-back.

It remains to be seen if Robinson will be ready to return when the club faces Arsenal on April 1.