Atletico Madrid is the right move for Johnny Cardoso, despite USMNT risks | OneFootball

It’s shaping up to be a busy summer on the transfer market for the U.S. men's national team. Malik Tillman was the first domino to fall with a big move to Bayer Leverkusen. Johnny Cardoso has quickly followed, making his long-rumored move to Atletico Madrid official on Wednesday.

But unlike Tillman, Cardoso probably can't afford any major setbacks in acclimating to his new club if he wants to be part of Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT squad at next summer's 2026 World Cup.

The last several months with the national team for Cardoso have been far from ideal. In March, he had to miss the Nations League semifinals with an injury. Then Cardoso also had an unspectacular summer, making a horrible mistake in a 2-1 loss to Türkiye, and then made only two appearances off the bench at the Gold Cup.

In other words, Cardoso's move to Atleti very well could sideline any remaining World Cup hopes he has if it doesn't go well. But it could also rejuvenate already uncertain prospects if it's successful.

Taking a step up

There is no question that moving from Real Betis to Atletico Madrid is a big step up the ladder. With all due respect to Betis, Atletico is on a different level. The club has finished among the top four in La Liga in 13 consecutive seasons, including the team’s most recent domestic title in 2021. The Red-Whites have frequently challenged intra-city rival Real Madrid for La Liga supremacy and made plenty of noise in the Champions League.

Real Betis, on the other hand, made waves simply by reaching the Conference League finals this past season, ultimately losing to Chelsea. Atletico Madrid is a different type of club with different aspirations. The standard of play Cardoso will have to reach to earn consistent playing time and make a positive impact at Atletico is far higher.

Fits like a glove

The good news for Cardoso is that he should fit Atletico Madrid’s system perfectly. Diego Simeone has found great success at Atletico playing a defense-first style in which his team stays compact and looks to play off the counterattack. Cardoso has always been a defense-first midfielder, excelling when it comes to winning duels and intercepting passes. He may not be an asset on the counterattack, but Cardoso does the dirty work defensively that Simeone’s system requires.

This fit explains that even before the transfer window opened, Cardoso was described by outlets like Marca as a priority signing for Atletico. Even after Tottenham Hotspur negotiated a purchase option for Cardoso last summer and signed an extension with Real Betis in February, Atletico Madrid made a strong pursuit for him. That’s a good indication that Cardoso will have every opportunity to step into the starting lineup right away and become a key part of Simeone’s plans.

Competition from within

Of course, nothing is a given at a club like Atletico. Cardoso isn’t guaranteed playing time with several other options at two central midfield spots in Atletico’s 4-4-2 formation. Veterans like Koke and Rodrigo De Paul are very much the incumbents, getting most of the minutes during the recent Club World Cup. But the latter appears to be leaving for Inter Miami to join countryman Lionel Messi.

Younger Atletico players like Pablo Barrios and Javier Serrano are also options, as is English international Conor Gallagher.

Cardoso will have to compete with those players for minutes, which will be no easy task, even with plenty of minutes available between La Liga and Champions League matches. Just like his mistake against Türkiye caused Cardoso to become out of favor ahead of the Gold Cup, a similar mistake could cause him to plummet down the depth chart at Atletico. After all, with a defensive-first system, mistakes that lead to goals won’t be taken lightly.

Take a chance on the upside

Cardoso’s move to Atletico does come with risk for both his development and his spot with the USMNT. Any transfer a year before the World Cup is potentially problematic for a player who has established himself with the national team. If he were to stay with Real Betis, Cardoso would guarantee himself steady playing time, allowing him to bounce back from a rough summer and secure a spot on next year’s World Cup roster.

However, with Tottenham circling and Atletico showing clear and convincing interest, this was the right decision by Cardoso. Between his perfect fit for Atletico’s system and previous experience in La Liga, he’s undoubtedly set up for success with his new club. If he can establish himself and play regular minutes, Cardoso can raise his profile and continue his development as a player. There is a clear upside for Cardoso to shine at Atletico, which would be good news for him and potentially great news for the USMNT.