Chris Richards, an American defender who plays for Crystal Palace in the Premier League, said he hopes to continue to help the team move forward as a leader and will strive to play such a role in the future.

In the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, Chris Richards scored a goal for the United States shortly after the start of the game to give them the lead, but after Raul Jimenez and Edson Alvarez scored in the following time, they eventually lost to Mexico 1-2 and missed the chance to win the championship.

When talking about his role in the U.S. national team, Chris Richards said, "Honestly, I just do myself. I don't need to do anything extra. I'm just better at expressing myself. Now I've reached a stage where I can no longer just let the captain direct the team, but I can also speak out and lead everyone. A great team should not have only one leader on the field, but should have three or four players who can stand up."

"I know I am a leader and I want to act like a real leader. No matter who is in the squad for next year's World Cup, I want to be the one leading the way. I will fight for my position, but I also hope that I can be the captain or take on a similar role, which is my goal during the training camp at this CONCACAF Gold Cup."

It is worth mentioning that Chris Richards and Crystal Palace won the FA Cup in the 2024/25 season, so they will step onto the European stage in the new season.

Chris Richards said: "People always ask me what is the most special part of winning the FA Cup? For me, the most touching thing is what this trophy means to generations of Crystal Palace fans. When I see 80-year-old people in the stands crying, I know it's because their parents have never seen Crystal Palace win an important trophy. That moment of emotion means more than anything else."

"I have a good friend who works in a local shop that I frequent. He told me that he wanted to take his grandad and dad to the game, and that his grandad had been a season ticket fan since the 1960s. He asked if I had any tickets for the semi-final because his grandad hadn't been to the game in 40 years, so I gave him two tickets to the final as a surprise."

Chris Richards also said, "Maybe in other clubs, these things will not be noticed, but not at Crystal Palace. When you win an honor for the first time and do it in this way, it's perfect."