untitled-design-2026-02-24t203133-342.png
Getty Images

The U.S. men’s national team’s Johnny Cardoso scored his first-ever goal in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, his impactful strike serving as a go-ahead goal for Atletico Madrid in a high-scoring knockout phase playoff tie against Club Brugge.

Cardoso’s goal gave Atleti a 2-1 lead on the day and a 5-4 advantage on aggregate, putting the Spanish side ahead in the tie early in the second. The play began when Giuliano Simeone received the ball from Marc Pubill, Simeone then making his way down the left flank and sitting on the edge of the penalty area before whipping a cross towards the far post. Brugge’s Brandon Mechele was on the receiving end and headed the ball away, which Cardoso ran towards outside the box.

The midfielder first controlled the ball with his head and sent it to his feet before letting it take a bounce, finally hitting the ball as it came back up. His powerful strike sailed through traffic and past Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet before landing in the back of the net.

Watch the strike below.

It is both Cardoso’s first goal in the Champions League and his first since joining Atleti in the summer, and comes at a very important juncture in his season. He has just 19 appearances for the Spanish club after dealing with a series of injuries but has regularly played in the new year, building match fitness as final preparation is underway for players and coaches alike ahead of the World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Cardoso is a USMNT hopeful with 22 caps but just as injuries have disrupted the early months of his time with Atleti, he has been out of the national team fold for several months. He was last with the group during their run to the Concacaf Gold Cup final but he only 11 total minutes during the competition, all in the group stage as fitness issues hampered his ability to take part in the rest of the tournament.