Catarina Macario and Mia Fishel are fitting right in at Chelsea.

Although the pair are still learning the pronunciations of London’s Tube stations, their connection has brought them from the San Diego Surf youth soccer club all the way to one of the game’s biggest stages: the English Women’s Super League.

Emerging stars for the U.S. women’s national team, Macario and Fishel already have turned their names into a portmanteau — “Catfish” — and are looking forward to connecting on the pitch for club and country.

They’re set to help Chelsea defend the WSL title for a fifth straight season. And while they’re the biggest American names in the WSL right now, they’re not the first USWNT players to make the leap across the pond. Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle, Tobin Heath and Christen Press all played England in past seasons.

“They’ve always praised how intense the WSL is, how competitive it is,” Macario told the Daily Mail. “They’ve also told us where to go to buy some nice winter coats!”

Macario and Fishel come to Chelsea from different professional clubs, Macario from 2022 Champions League winners Olympique Lyonnais and Fishel from Liga MX’s Tigres UANL.

Fishel finished 2022 as Liga MX’s leading scorer, and the 22-year-old forward believes the environment in the Mexican league pushed her to be a better player.

“I decided to trust myself and go to another league [from the NWSL] which was an amazing experience. A new culture, a new language, and the best team in Mexico,” she told the Daily Mail. “I had like seven or eight national team players from Mexico on my team. It was a great environment that pushed me. I was able to flourish there.”

The 2023-24 WSL season kicks off Sunday, with Chelsea facing off in a London derby against Tottenham. While Fishel is set to compete right away alongside star players including Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby, Macario still is making her way back from an ACL tear. And while the 23-year-old midfielder is hoping to be back soon, she isn’t in any rush.

“It’s taken a little bit longer than I’d hoped for anyone would have expected,” Macario said. “One reason why I chose to go to Chelsea, Emma (Hayes) really focuses on doing the little things off the field. I feel like she has created a culture, not only on the pitch but off the pitch and really taking care of her players – not pressuring them to come back earlier than what they’re supposed to. I’m really happy where I am right now, I really trust the medical team here.”

Taylor Swift made headlines Sunday when she cheered on Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. But this is far from her first foray into sports.

The 12-time Grammy-winning superstar is a well-established fan and friend of the U.S. women’s national team, in particular veteran forward Alex Morgan. She hosted the 2015 World Cup-winning team on stage at her 1989 World Tour, and she announced Morgan’s place on the 2023 World Cup roster.

So in honor of Swift’s continued world domination, Just Women’s Sports has paired her albums with women’s soccer kits from the 2023 World Cup, the Women’s Super League and the NWSL.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version)

Australian superstar Sam Kerr and the Matildas’ bright World Cup kits drag us headfirst into the rankings. Does it get better than this?

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)

World Cup champion Spain enchanted the crowd at the 2023 tournament with these coral reef-inspired kits.

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Red (Taylor’s Version)

Arsenal crashed out of the Women’s Champions League in the qualifying round. Yet despite their run ending so suddenly, they have the whole Women’s Super League season ahead in their classic red kits. So: Begin again?

1989 (Taylor’s Version)

England isn’t out of the woods yet. Despite winning the 2022 Euro title, the Lionesses are still seeking their first World Cup championship after falling to Spain in the 2023 final. But their light blue kits for the tournament will never go out of style.

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Reputation

Are you ready for it? This is the only album on the list not owned by Swift, who is in the process of re-recording her first six albums so she has control of her music. But pairing the edgy “Reputation” with the Thorns’ tattoo-inspired 2023 jerseys proved too tempting to pass up.

Lover

USWNT midfielder Sam Mewis is in her Lover era, she shared on the “Snacks” podcast in April. Don’t roll your eyes, but Angel City FC are in their Lover era too with their 2022 pink-accented kits.

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Folklore

The Football Ferns’ World Cup kits pull from nature, as does Swift’s woodsy “folklore.” While July and August slipped away like a bottle of wine, the memories of the tournament Down Under (and of New Zealand’s first-ever World Cup win) will stick with us.

Evermore

Swift has spoken about the autumnal vibes of “evermore,” and while there are no flannels to be found on the soccer field, the Netherlands’ signature orange kits bring to mind the colors of the season.

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Midnights

The USWNT did not have the 2023 World Cup run they wanted, but they still looked bejeweled in these Nike kits. Ahead of the tournament, Morgan attended Swift’s record-setting Eras Tour, which features “Midnights” tracks as its grand finale, and she had high praise for her uber-famous friend.

“She is so supportive,” Morgan said. “She’s all about women empowerment. We both share our favorite number, number 13, born the same year, in 1989. We’ve just been really supportive of each other’s careers.”

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Phallon Tullis-Joyce is headed to Manchester United.

The deal, first reported by Mail Sport’s Kathryn Batte, sends the OL Reign goalkeeper across the pond from the NWSL to the Women’s Super League. Tullis-Joyce commanded a transfer fee of close to $160,000, a record for a goalkeeper, Sounder at Heart reported.

“Today has been pure excitement for me,” Tullis-Joyce said in a news release. “Manchester United is such an historic club, that has already done so much in the women’s game. I’m so honored to get this opportunity.”

United are expected to retain England national team goalkeeper Mary Earps despite a record offer from Arsenal. Earps, who won the Golden Glove award at the 2023 World Cup, reportedly wanted to leave the club this summer. Her contract runs through the end of the 2023-24 season.

The signing of Tullis-Joyce, who has been the starting goalkeeper for OL Reign for the majority of the last two seasons but has been the backup in the team’s last two league games, gives United a replacement for Earps if she departs in 2024.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper is a big pickup for United, as she has been among the NWSL’s best at her position over the last two seasons and is in the conversation for the USWNT. Last season, she allowing 19 goals in 22 games for an average of 0.86 goals against per 90, which ranked first in the league. Her 81.3% save percentage and nine clean sheets last year also ranked first in the league.

This season, she ranked sixth in goals against average (1.07) and tenth in clean sheets with four before departing for Manchester United. She leaves OL Reign in the midst of the NWSL playoff race, with the Seattle-based club in fourth place with four matches remaining in the regular season.

“Phallon is someone who we value and has achieved quite a lot both on and off field during her time here,” OL Reign general manager Lesle Gallimore said in a news release. “We worked with Phallon and Manchester United to make sure all parties were satisfied with the move and once we got to an agreement, everything moved pretty quickly. We will be forever grateful for Phallon’s achievements with OL Reign and wish her all the best in the WSL.”

Tullis-Joyce has previous experience overseas, having played for Stade de Reims for two seasons in France’s Division 1 Féminine before joining OL Reign in 2021.

Mia Fishel to Chelsea is officially official.

The club announced the signing Friday, confirming that the Liga MX Femenil star has signed a three-year deal through the summer of 2026. She joins Chelsea from Liga MX’s Tigres, where she has played since January 2022 after forgoing the NWSL following the league’s draft.

According to The Equalizer, Fishel’s transfer fee sits at $250,000, which is also what her deal is worth. That ranks among the highest transfer fees in the world, though less than the £250,000 paid by Chelsea for Denmark forward Pernille Harder in 2020.

“I’m super excited, it’s a dream come true and everything that I’ve worked for since I was a kid until now. It’s all worth it and it’s all paid off because now I’m playing for one of the best clubs in the world,” Fishel said in a statement. “I’m excited to know London, to meet the people and get to know everybody. I’m blessed and excited to start this journey with Chelsea.”

Fishel is the latest high-profile signing by Chelsea manager Emma Hayes, who also acquired USWNT and Olympique Lyonnais star midfielder Catarina Macario. And while Fishel likely won’t knock Sam Kerr out of her starting spot, she provides depth and can develop further as a player alongside some of the world’s best.

“Mia is an exceptional finisher whose box presence and movement make her elite,” Hayes said. “She can also create something from nothing and her prime years are to come.”

For Tigres in 2022, Fishel scored 33 goals total, including 17 times in 17 games. She also captured the league’s Golden Boot award and won a championship. She is still seeking her first senior national team cap with the United States, but the move to the Women’s Super League could increase her standing in the USWNT pool.

“Mia is a born goalscorer and we think that she’s at a great age to take the next step in her career,” Chelsea general manager Paul Green said. “We’re really excited and feel that her pace and power is going to be a big asset for the team in the upcoming years.”

France’s Wendie Renard returned in triumph on Saturday, while Haiti’s Jennyfer Limage received the unfortunate distinction of sustaining the first torn ACL of the 2023 World Cup.

Just Women’s Sports is keeping track of the biggest names dealing with injuries at the tournament, which kicked off July 20.

Possible to return

Keira Walsh, England

The 26-year-old midfielder exited England’s 1-0 win against Denmark on July 28 with an apparent knee injury. Walsh twisted awkwardly while trying to intercept a pass, and she could be seen telling team medical staff: “I’ve done my knee.”

After she was stretchered off the field in the first half, she returned to the sidelines in the second half on crutches. On Saturday, the Football Association confirmed that Walsh has avoided an ACL tear,  but has been ruled out of the team’s match against China and her status is in doubt for the remainder of the World Cup.

Ada Hegerberg, Norway

After being named to Norway’s Starting XI against Switzerland on July 25, star forward Ada Hegerberg was pulled moments before kickoff.

The former Ballon D’Or winner felt discomfort in her groin while warming up for the match, Fox Sports reported. She was evaluated by the team doctor and returned to the locker room to receive treatment, according to Norwegian TV. Following the game, Hegerberg addressed her absence on Twitter.

“I felt discomfort when sprinting right after the anthems,” she wrote. “We decided with the staff that no risk should be taken and no subs should be wasted in such an important game for us, and we all trusted Sophie, Karina, and the team to do the job, which they did. We move on.”

Marina Hegering, Germany

Defender Marina Hegering missed Germany’s first match against Morocco with a bruised heel.

Mary Fowler and Aivi Luik, Australia

Australia will be without Mary Fowler and Aivi Luik for at least its second group-stage match after the duo sustained mild concussions in separate incidents during practice on July 25. Both have “fully recovered” and are in return to play protocol, per the team. But as of 2018, Football Australia’s return to play protocol “provides for a minimum of six days before the player can play a competitive game.” Australia plays its third and final group-stage match on July 31.

Sam Kerr, Australia

Two hours before Australia’s World Cup opener, the star striker announced that she would miss the Matildas’ first two group-stage games with a calf injury.

“Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training,” she wrote. “I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve. Of course, I would have loved to have been out there tonight but I can’t wait to be apart of this amazing journey which starts now.”

Even without Kerr, Australia pulled off a 1-0 win against Ireland thanks to a penalty from Steph Catley in the second half. They lost to Nigeria 2-1, however, in their next match.

Kerr said Saturday she is “definitely going to be available” for the team’s game against Canada, while coach Tony Gustavsson noted that the time frame is “tight.”

Lena Oberdorf, Germany

Star midfielder Lena Oberdorf missed Germany’s first match against Morocco with a thigh injury.

“It looks as if we won’t be able to fall back on either of them in the first game,” head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg said of Oberdorf and Hegering. But even without the pair, Germany pulled off an impressive 6-0 win.

Out for World Cup

Jennyfer Limage, Haiti

Haitian defender Jennyfer Limage will be out for the rest of the World Cup after tearing her ACL and rupturing her meniscus in her team’s 1-0 loss to England on July 22. Limage had to be carried off the field and is slated to undergo surgery.

Her injury marks the first ACL tear of the World Cup and continues what has become a growing injury trend in the women’s game, with a number of stars missing this year’s World Cup due to ACL tears.

Returned to play

Denise O’Sullivan, Ireland

O’Sullivan went down with a shin injury during an “overly physical” friendly on July 14 between Ireland and Colombia, which was halted after 20 minutes. The 29-year-old midfielder was taken to the hospital for treatment after the match was abandoned.

O’Sullivan underwent scans, with the team tweeting out that the results were “positive news,” and she played in the World Cup against Australia on July 20.

Wendie Renard, France

The France captain underwent an MRI on July 24 after feeling pain in her calf. She briefly appeared at training, where she spoke with the team doctor and later left the field, according to L’Équipe.

French media outlet Le Progrès has reported that Renard’s injury could keep her out of France’s final two group-stage matches. The injury is similar to one she suffered prior to the 2022 club season with the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, which kept her out of play for a month, the outlet noted.

But Renard made her return on Saturday, even after her status was unclear on the eve of the match.

“Our hope is that everything goes well because we need her,” France coach Herve Renard said Friday night. “We are not sure tonight 100%. Our trainings are quite intense and we will have to see how things happen once we face the match.”

Renard was ready to go, playing the full 90 and even scored the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute.

Did not appear at World Cup

Janine Beckie, Canada

The 28-year-old forward tore her ACL during a preseason NWSL game in March. She later confirmed in an Instagram post that she will miss this summer’s World Cup after helping Canada to its first Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer in 2021.

“Having worked so hard during off-season for what was set to be one of the biggest seasons of my career, defending the title for @thornsfc and of course playing in the World Cup for Canada, being out for an extended period of time is a difficult pill to swallow,” she wrote.

Delphine Cascarino, France

French winger Delphine Cascarino suffered a partial ACL tear while playing for Lyon in a league win over Paris-Saint Germain on May 21. As a result, she will be sidelined for “several months” and will miss the World Cup.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to take part in the World Cup this summer with my teammates, whom I’ll be supporting from here,” Cascarino said on Instagram.

Cascarino has made 56 appearances for France, scoring 14 goals. Her loss is a blow to France’s chances at the World Cup, as the team also could find itself without Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who is still making her way back from an ACL tear.

Amandine Henry, France

The midfielder was ruled out of the World Cup on July 7 after sustaining a calf injury while training with the France national team two days earlier. She underwent an MRI that confirmed the diagnosis, France coach Hervé Renard said.

Henry, who signed a three-year contract with Angel City FC in June, will be replaced on the roster by Aïssatou Tounkara, the French Football Federation announced.

The former French captain had recently returned to the national team after a longstanding dispute with Corinne Diacre, who was fired as head coach in March due to a “very significant divide” within the team.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto, France

The 24-year-old striker tore her ACL last July during the Euros tournament. She reportedly had to pull back from her recovery at the beginning of the year, and while she has since resumed running and weight-bearing exercises, she will be unable to join France at the World Cup.

Katoto underwent medical exams on May 30 at the training ground for the France women’s national team, and she was ruled unfit to participate in the tournament, French news agency AFP reported. France coach Herve Renard will reveal his World Cup roster on June 6.

Fran Kirby, England

Kirby is slated to undergo surgery on a knee injury she sustained in February, which will keep her out of World Cup contention, she revealed on May 2.

The 29-year-old midfielder had been trying to rehab her knee since exiting the pitch during a Chelsea match on Feb. 9. But after a reassessment with a specialist and the Chelsea medical team, she will have surgery to repair the injury. Details of the injury have not been disclosed.

“I have been trying my best to not have to undergo this but unfortunately my progress has been limited due to the issue in my knee,” Kirby wrote in a social media post. “I’m absolutely gutted to announce that this means my season is over and I will not be able to make the World Cup in the summer.”

Catarina Macario, United States

After tearing her ACL last June, the initial recovery timeline would have had the 23-year-old back on the pitch in plenty of time for this summer’s World Cup. But she “won’t be physically ready for selection,” she announced on May 23.

“The desire to return to play for my club and country has driven my training and fueled my everyday life,” she wrote. “However, what’s most important right now is my health and getting fit and ready for my next club season.”

Beth Mead, England

Another Arsenal injury, the 27-year-old striker ruptured her ACL last November during Women’s Super League play.

While Mead said in early May that she was “ahead of schedule” in her recovery, she did not make the England roster for the World Cup, as revealed on May 31.

Sam Mewis, United States

After dealing with a nagging injury since the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021, the 30-year-old midfielder underwent knee surgery in January.

“I don’t have a timeline for return to soccer,” she said after the surgery, all but certainly cementing her absence from the U.S. women’s national team lineup for the World Cup.

Vivianne Miedema, Netherlands

Miedema went down with a torn ACL while playing for Arsenal in December. The all-time leading scorer for the Netherlands, the 26-year-old forward ruled herself out of the World Cup in a statement.

“I won’t be able to help my team anymore this season, no World Cup, surgery and rehab for a long time,” she said.

Hazel Nali, Zambia

Zambia’s starting goalkeeper Hazel Nali will miss the World Cup after suffering an ACL tear. The announcement came on July 12, mere days before the World Cup kicks off on July 20.

Nali has been a standout in net for Zambia, making her senior national team debut in 2014. She played for the senior team at the 2014 African Women’s Championship, the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations and the 2020 COSAFA Women’s Championship, as well as at the Tokyo Olympics.

Christen Press, United States

The 34-year-old forward has had three surgeries on the same knee in eight months since she tore the ACL in her right knee last June during the NWSL regular season.

She has yet to feature for Angel City FC this season and is still listed under a season-ending injury designation carried over from 2022. Press had held out hope for a spot on the plane to New Zealand, but she was not selected to coach Vlatko Andonovski’s final 23-player roster as she continues to recover.

“There has never been a moment where I lost hope and that I took my focus off of the World Cup, from the moment that I got injured until now,” Press said in May. “It’s the North Star for all of us professional players and it’s a motivation.”

Katie Rood, New Zealand

The 30-year-old forward has “joined the ACL club,” she announced Monday via Instagram.

Rood tore her ACL while playing for Heart of Midlothian WFC in the Scottish Women’s Premier League. A member of the New Zealand national team since 2017, she’s made 15 appearance and notched five goals.

“Obviously gutted about it,” she wrote. “I have intended to return to NZ in June for a training camp to have one final crack at making the World Cup team. Looks like life has other plans for me.. and as gutted as I am about the World Cup dream being over, I’m beginning to look forward to seeing what other opportunities are out there for me.”

Becky Sauerbrunn

USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn was ruled out of the World Cup due to a lingering foot injury, in news she confirmed days before the team’s roster reveal.

The starting center-back said she, too, had held out “like 10% hope” of making the U.S. roster, but ultimately her timeline for recovery did not match up with the USWNT’s needs.

“It sucks, like it’s such a bummer,” she said on the Snacks podcast. “I really thought that I was gonna get back in time. Had a setback, you know, we gave them timelines where I could feasibly have played minutes at the World Cup. But the variability of it was, they just didn’t want to have to deal with that.”

Mallory Swanson, United States

Swanson’s injury is not a torn ACL, but it’s just as serious: a torn patellar tendon. The 24-year-old forward had surgery to repair the ligament, which she tore in the USWNT’s first April match against Ireland. Patellar tendon tears typically have at least a six-month recovery timeline, although that can extend to as long as 12 months, so Swanson will miss the World Cup.

Leah Williamson, England

The 26-year-old Arsenal defender tore her ACL during an April match.

“Unfortunately the World Cup and Champions League dream is over for me and everyone will think that’s the main focus, but it’s the day to day of what I’m going through that’s the most draining of my thoughts,” she said in an Instagram post.

Catarina Macario has signed a three-year deal with Chelsea, the team and the star midfielder announced Friday.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder will join the club on July 1, per the team’s release. Macario posted a photo of herself in a Chelsea jersey on Instagram with a straightforward caption: “Let’s get it.”

The deal will keep Macario with the Women’s Super League club through the summer of 2026. She has spent the last two seasons in France with Olympique Lyonnais. And after playing with some of the best in the game there, she now links up with Australian star Sam Kerr.

“I can’t wait to get started here!” Macario said in a release. “I’m really happy to sign for Chelsea and I hope to represent the jersey well over the next few years. I’m looking forward to linking up with so many good forward players such as Sam (Kerr), Lauren James and Guro (Reiten). It will be good to play with Kadeisha (Buchanan) again also.

“I’ve been fortunate to have some great experiences in Europe already with Lyon, playing with many top players and of course winning the Champions League also. I hope to carry on those experiences here and bring home the trophy for Chelsea as well!”

A staple of the U.S. women’s national team, Macario has spent the last year working her way back from an ACL tear sustained in league play with Lyon last June. Her recovery timeline lagged, and she announced in late May that she would not be ready in time for the World Cup.

The terms of the Chelsea deal were contingent on her medical clearance. According to the Chelsea release, Macario “continues to make good progress” with her rehab.

“Cat is one of the most intelligent, creative attacking players in the world who I think will blossom in this Chelsea team,” Chelsea head coach Emma Hayes said. “She brings a great deal of flair, European experience, and an unbelievable winning mentality. I think our fans will really love her.”

Catarina Macario is set to sign with Chelsea subject to medical clearance.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder is set to join the English club at the end of her contract with French club Lyon this summer, the Athletic reported Tuesday. She has not played for Lyon since last June, when she tore her ACL during a league match.

A staple of the U.S. women’s national team, Macario’s ACL recovery timeline has lagged, leading to speculation about her participation in this summer’s World Cup. Lyon has just three games left in its season – as does Chelsea – and Macario has yet to play in a game or even to return to training. She was set to return to training in early April but has not made an appearance.

As a result, an NWSL loan option had seemed – and still does seem – like a good idea for Macario if she wants to return to form in time for the 2023 World Cup. But with the news of her signing with Chelsea, her immediate future is thrown further into question.

Macario led Lyon with 23 goals during the 2021-22 season. She also became the first U.S. player to score in a Women’s Champions League final in Lyon’s 3-1 win over Barcelona last year.

Competing in front of a record crowd of 77,390 fans at Wembley Stadium, Sam Kerr propelled Chelsea to the 2023 Women’s FA Cup title, scoring the eventual game winner in the 68th minute.

Kerr then propelled herself into the air, celebrating with a high-flying backflip (video below).

Chelsea defeated Manchester United, 1-0, to win its third straight FA Cup final title.

The 29-year-old Kerr said multiple people have been asking when she was going to whip out the backflip again, including Chelsea teammate Millie Bright, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury.

“I texted (Millie) and said, ‘backflip incoming,’ so I knew it was coming today,'” Kerr said in her postgame interview.

Kerr has scored the game winner in each of Chelsea’s three straight FA Cup Final wins.

In 2021, Kerr scored the first two goals in Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Arsenal. During the 2022 Women’s FA Cup Final vs. Manchester City, Kerr opened the scoring and then notched the game winner in extra time, leading Chelsea to a 3-2 win. (Video of all five of Kerr’s FA Cup final goals are embedded below.)

Sam Kerr’s goals in the 2021 Women’s FA Cup Final

Sam Kerr’s goals in the 2022 Women’s FA Cup Final

Sam Kerr’s game winner in the 2023 Women’s FA Cup Final

Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall believes the 2023 World Cup should have kicked off earlier in the year.

The tournament is slated to start on July 20, but the packed women’s soccer calendar places the premier tournament just before the start of the next European season. The quick turnaround means little recovery time for players.

Arsenal just confirmed its fourth ACL tear of the season. And while the club is looking at ways to improve, wider change is needed, Eidevall said. In particular, he pointed to the tight schedule as a factor.

“It is very evident from this summer that this World Cup should have been played earlier. It is evident,” he said. “That would have meant the players could finish the season, have some time off, prepare for the World Cup without so much time off they lose their fitness, they play the World Cup, then there is a gap so they have time off again and then we can start the Champions League qualifiers and the league openers.

“But they didn’t get it right, hopefully in the future they can do it better.”

His concerns echo those of his star forward Vivianne Miedema, who shared her concerns about the workload for soccer players in November – just weeks before she herself tore her ACL.

“I see a worrying pattern. The playing calendar for both the women and the men is simply too full,” she wrote. “Actually, it’s just a shame. We are in a world that goes on and on and there are few players who say anything about it. I do. We go completely crazy with the tax on football players and football players.”

Miedema took a break in November as a result of her schedule, which saw her play for the Netherlands national team in the Euros last July and then roll right into the beginning of the Women’s Super League season with Arsenal.

The calendar has only gotten more hectic in 2023.

Eidevall pointed to this summer’s schedule, noting that if Arsenal were to finish third in the WSL this season, they would enter into the Champions League qualifying round just 16 days after the World Cup final.

“That shows how bad the calendar is. We want to try to finish as high as possible in the table, we want to try to go into the Champions League and we need to do whatever necessary to get there,” he said. “But it highlights a very important issue, if you want to protect players and you want to have importance for the World Cup and the Champions League, but it is impossible for the clubs who are going to play in that playoff round.

“I think there are also qualifying rounds that happen during the World Cup. It really highlights the issues with the calendar, where really important stakeholders like UEFA and FIFA can’t schedule tournaments better to allow players time off.”

Recent reports have indicated that English clubs are pushing back at national teams’ World Cup preparations and will opt to release their players just 10 days before the tournament. The European Club Association has cited the increase in injuries and a concern about player welfare, with a goal to give players more rest time following their club seasons.

Many national teams had planned to start their training camps in mid-June, with the intention of traveling to Australia and New Zealand in early July to give their players time to get acclimated before games begin.

“There are bits that I think clubs can solve internally but there are a lot of things that require the whole world of football to cooperate, we need to do both,” Eidevall said. “Some parts are internal and things we can control, then there are things we need external cooperation with.

“For example, the playing schedule or the cooperation between clubs and national teams or how and when competitions are played and how the international match calendar is done. That requires governing bodies, clubs and national teams working together.”

Arsenal have suffered another blow, as Laura Wienroither has become the fourth player on the squad to suffer an ACL tear in the last six months, the club announced Thursday.

She suffered the injury during Monday’s Champions League semifinal loss. The 24-year-old Austria national team player joins Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema on the Gunners’ roster of ACL injuries this season.

“I’m going to miss every single second of not being on the pitch with this special team,” Wienroither said in an Instagram post. “I’m so proud to be a part of this group and to share experiences with these girls — on and off the pitch.

“I’ll fight like hell to return as soon as I’m ready to get back to following my dream in red and white. This team is really special… I think we can all feel it. Until that time, I’m Arsenal and Austria’s biggest fan.”

Miedema, who tore her ACL in December, posted in support of her teammates: “At least we will all be in the gym together.”

But she also added: “ACL group is full now. Please no more.”

A number of the game’s biggest stars have suffered ACL injuries in recent months, leading to concern over what many regard as an injury crisis in women’s soccer. Mead has called for more research into injuries in the women’s game, and Portland Thorns forward Janine Beckie – who is also sidelined with an ACL tear – echoed those sentiments and called for more resources for women’s teams.

Earlier this season, women’s health specialist Dr. Emma Ross told Sky Sports that women athletes “are up to six times more likely to have a non-contact ACL injury than their male counterparts.”

She added that just 6% of studies in sports and exercise science are done solely on women, which translates into a lack of research and education on women’s injuries.

While some researchers attribute the injury crisis to the physiological affects of the menstrual cycle, including joints becoming less stable during the cycle, there is not enough evidence to draw a link between the menstrual cycle and injuries, Ross said.

“So we do have some information about loose joints,” she said, “but what we don’t have is the end step of whether that really does increase the risk for injury in female athletes.”

Dr. Katrine Okholm Kryger pointed to soccer cleats being geared toward men’s feet as an injury risk factor, as men’s and women’s feet differ in shape and volume. Many cleat manufacturers have begun to develop a women’s specific cleat, which should be available for this summer’s World Cup.

Aresenal is in the midst of its own internal review after its spate of ACL tears, manager Jonas Eidevall said following Wienroither’s injury. Eidevall also called for external cooperation between clubs, national teams and their governing bodies.

“We need to look at the complete picture and see which factors we can control,” he said. “We need to look at that internally to see what we can do better in the future. Some parts are internal and things we can control, then there are things we need external cooperation with. For example, the playing schedule or the cooperation between clubs and national teams or how and when competitions are played and how the international match calendar is done.

“There are bits that I think clubs can solve internally but there are a lot of things that require the whole world of football to cooperate, we need to do both.”