Could Mallory Swanson return for the Chicago Red Stars in the 2023 NWSL season?

While acknowledging that it would be “a reach,” Red Stars head coach Chris Petrucelli wouldn’t rule her out when talking with reporters Thursday.

The 25-year-old forward tore the patellar tendon in her left knee during a U.S. women’s national team match in April. She has been sidelined since then, missing the World Cup for the USWNT and most of the season for Chicago.

An injury such as this one can take up to a year to heal, according to the Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital. And the Red Stars still have not established a firm timeline for their star forward, Petrucelli said.

“We’ve never put a timeline on Mal. And actually, we still haven’t discussed the timeline with her,” he said. “Obviously, we’re running out of games here.”

As of this week, Swanson is running on an antigravity treadmill, but she is not yet running on regular ground, per Petrucelli.

“So it may be a reach for her to be back in time, but again, I’m not ready to put a timeline on that, and we’ll see where we go,” he said. “I think probably the next two or three weeks will give us a real indication of where Mal will be.”

The Red Stars have five matches left in the 22-match regular season, and they sit at the bottom of the 12-team league table with 17 points. Swanson’s Red Stars contract expires at the end of the season, and she will enter the offseason as a free agent.

In July, Swanson posted an update to her Instagram account. “First touches in three months,” read the caption, accompanied by a video of her getting touches on the ball with a member of the Red Stars training staff.

“I don’t have downtime. It is all rehab, just focusing on that,” she told Just Women’s Sports just a few days later. “I’ve learned that it’s just a process, and yeah, I think that you can just enjoy it. As much as it might not be fun, I think that there’s still so much positive that you can get out of it.”

U.S. women’s national team veteran Julie Ertz announced her retirement from professional soccer Thursday, and her teammates wasted no time in celebrating her career.

From retired champions Carli Lloyd and Ali Krieger to rising stars Mallory Swanson and Alyssa Thompson, U.S. players from throughout Ertz’s 10 years with the national team sung her praises. Ertz, 31, received her first cap in 2013 and her last at the 2023 World Cup.

Lloyd, who played with Ertz until her own retirement in 2021, applauded her work ethic in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Lloyd and Ertz were both members of the 2015 and 2019 World Cup-winning squads.

“Honored to have played with you and train with you during our offseasons!” she wrote. “You gave it your all every single training/game and represented the crest with pride, honor and the mindset needed to help the team achieve success! You will be missed! Congrats on an amazing career.”

Many other players commented on Ertz’s Instagram post announcing her retirement.

Thompson, 18, just played in her first World Cup with the USWNT. She also played alongside Ertz this season with NWSL club Angel City FC.

“Such a legend and a role model,” Thompson wrote. “Thank you Julie.”

Krieger wrote: “Congrats! So grateful to know you and play alongside you over the years. I hope this next chapter is more than you could have ever imagined!”

Swanson commented: “Congrats Jules! Very thankful for our time together! This game will miss you!!”

Abby Dahlkemper shared a similar message, writing: “Congrats Jules! It was an honor to share the field with you.”

And Sofia Huerta kept it simple, commenting: “Julesss!!! ❤️❤️❤️ I love u”

A number of U.S. women’s national team stars missed out on the 2023 World Cup due to injury, and the team felt their absence on the pitch.

What is the status for these injured players? And when could they return to the USWNT?

Becky Sauerbrunn

The 38-year-old defender missed what would have been her fourth World Cup due to a foot injury she suffered in April. After being left off the USWNT roster, she was upfront about the injury, noting that while a World Cup return would have been “possible,” doctors warned that it would be “aggressive” for her to get back in time.

Sauerbrunn has continued to rehab the injury and intends to return this season for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns. She also could rejoin the USWNT for its September friendlies against South Africa, although no updates have been given on her status.

Mallory Swanson

Swanson tore the patellar tendon in her left knee during an April friendly against Ireland, ruling her out for the World Cup. Her surgery went well, and Swanson even said that she felt as though she might defy the odds to make the summer tournament.

Ultimately, the 25-year-old forward wasn’t fit for the trip to Australia and New Zealand. But Swanson has been seen doing rehab recently, and even getting in a couple of touches in July. “Recovery has been good,” she told Just Women’s Sports.

Still, there is no update as to when Swanson could return, although the typical timeline for recovery from such an injury is six months.

Abby Dahlkemper

Dahlkemper underwent back surgery in December, and earlier this month the 30-year-old defender made her return to the pitch for the NWSL’s San Diego Wave.

“It felt great,” Dahlkemper said of her return. “I am just so happy to be back. I feel like it’s been a really long journey. I, throughout my career have fortunately been healthy up until last year. So I’ve never really experienced a long time out like I did. Just proud of myself, I’m happy. Excited to be back with the team.

“It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life, physically and mentally. Having to have back surgery at my age is kind of uncommon, so to go in there and have it be not known how it’s going to do, how I’m going to heal, how I’m going to feel coming back was really scary. But I leaned in and trusted my gut. … Everyone helped me along the way and I really wouldn’t be back here today playing if it wasn’t for everyone helping me and the support.

“I tried to take it one day at a time. Definitely a lot of lows, but I celebrated the highs as well. Just happy and really proud of myself. I feel like when you go through adversity that’s when you learn the most about yourself.”

Dahlkemper has not played a full 90 since her return, but she played 45 minutes in the team’s Challenge Cup match on Aug. 6.

Sam Mewis

Mewis underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee in August 2021. While she initially was slated for an eight-week absence from the pitch, she just had a follow-up surgery in January, and she has not played for the USWNT in two years.

It is unknown when the 30-year-old midfielder could make her return, though she shared a video of her recovery process in July. In a video captioned “6 months today!” Mewis is seen doing weight-lifting exercises, including lower body exercises such as deadlifts and lunges. The midfielder appears to be regaining range of motion and strength in her right knee.

Still, there remains no timetable for Mewis’ return.

“Obviously, I haven’t played in a while,” she told Goal in July. “I’m just doing my rehab and taking it one day at a time, but I think my message is just in moments like that, in moments of difficulty, just try to find that new purpose, if you can, and apply yourself to that.”

Catarina Macario

Catarina Macario tore her ACL last June and had some setbacks in her recovery journey, which resulted in her missing out on the World Cup. She signed a three-year deal with Chelsea in June, though, and recently was seen at training with the Women’s Super League club as its preseason gets underway.

The WSL season is set to kick off in October, with Chelsea playing Tottenham on Oct. 1. The 23-year-old midfielder could make her return before that, however, if she gets a call-up from the USWNT for the September friendlies.

Tobin Heath

One of the more senior members of the USWNT, Heath has not suited up for the red, white and blue since October 2021. Throughout 2022, she struggled with injuries, including a hamstring injury that ended her season with Arsenal. She later joined OL Reign, appearing in five matches, before once again being sidelined with an injury.

She underwent season-ending knee surgery in September 2022 and has been seen doing limited training. In February, Andonovski said that Heath was “absolutely” still under consideration for World Cup selection. While the 35-year-old forward did not return for the World Cup, her playing days are “definitely not” over yet, she told UPROXX in August.

Christen Press

Press’ recovery journey has not been linear. In June, the 34-year-old forward returned to the practice field in cleats, but she remained on the season-ending injury list for Angel City FC. And then in July she announced she would have to undergo a fourth surgery to repair her knee.

Following the fourth surgery, Press has not shared a recovery timeline, although she has said she wants to return to professional soccer. It’s unlikely that will come during the 2023 NWSL season, so the soonest fans could see Press back in action may be 2024.

The U.S. women’s national team made the wrong kind of World Cup history Sunday. But the team did so without some of its biggest stars.

The USWNT’s Round of 16 exit has prompted many questions about the future: Should head coach Vlatko Andonovski keep his job? Who will be on the roster for the 2024 Olympics? But the elimination also leaves room for what ifs, namely: What could this team have done with a healthy roster?

Injuries kept top players, including Sam Mewis, Christen Press, Catarina Macario and all-important defender and captain Becky Sauerbrunn, out of competition. Another name on that list: Mallory Swanson. What would the USWNT have looked like with a healthy Swanson on the forward line?

Before her injury, Swanson started the year on a tear. She had seven goals in five games for the USWNT to kick off 2023. Whenever the 25-year-old forward was on the pitch, it felt like a goal was inevitable.

Then came April. In an international friendly against Ireland, Swanson tore the patellar tendon in her left knee. That injury kept her off the World Cup roster, though Swanson tried to keep her hope alive for the tournament early in her recovery. Up until June, Swanson believed that she could make the World Cup roster, even if not fully fit.

“I was like, I’m gonna be there,” she told Sports Illustrated. “Like, I might not be 90 minutes fit, but I’m gonna be there.”

But she wasn’t. And while other players missed out as well, Swanson’s injury sent a shock through the system that made you feel an immediate sense of dread. After all, Andonovski had built his team’s attack around Swanson. Whether you believe that was a good or decidedly bad idea, that is what he did in the lead-up to the tournament. And it’s what left the team scrambling in her absence.

The USWNT had two matches without Swanson before the World Cup to try and piece together what it would look like without her. Andonovski used the second friendly against Ireland to evaluate players individually. And then against Wales, he showed a starting lineup that hadn’t had a chance to gel – and even then, it was not the final starting lineup that featured against Vietnam in the World Cup opener.

Instead of preparing for the tournament, Andonovski spent his time trying to put together a 23-piece jigsaw puzzle that he never locked into place. And when the fundamental piece went missing, the entire thing fell apart.

Swanson could have changed how far the USWNT went in the World Cup. She could have changed the record-breaking goal scoring drought the team faced. Her presence, however, probably wouldn’t have changed the final outcome. Maybe the USWNT would have gone out in the quarterfinals or the semifinals. The end result? Likely still the same.

What we saw from the USWNT at the World Cup, as Tobin Heath put it best, was a group of 11 individuals trying to make something work. Having Swanson on the pitch Down Under would have been electric. She inevitably would have scored some goals. But realistically, even with the star forward, the team still had issues.

One player does not change the makeup of a starting lineup that never really played together for an extended period of time. One player does not change the tactical decisions that were made in the midfield or on defense. And one player does not change the fact that Andonovski spent the past two years shuffling players in and out of camp instead of allowing a group of players to grow together into a World Cup contender.

The U.S. women’s national team is competing in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. As you can imagine, players and coaches — past and present — have plenty to say about it, and Just Women’s Sports is keeping track.

Aug. 3: ‘Trust and support each other,’ Brandi Chastain tells USWNT

The 1999 World Cup hero criticized the USWNT’s play after its scoreless draw with Portugal to close out the group stage, saying on the “After the Whistle” podcast that the U.S. needs “to be better in every phase of the game.” Ahead of the Round of 16 match against Sweden, though, she offered encouragement to the two-time defending champions.

“If you have any concern, look around and know someone has your back,” she wrote. “No one said it would be easy so dance in the glory of the difficult. Be brave, communicate, trust and support each other.”

Aug. 2: Heather O’Reilly: USWNT needs to make ‘big changes’

“We would all be naive if we thought we could win this World Cup with the way that we look right now,” the USWNT great said on Fox Sports after the Portugal match. “So there needs to be changes. And there needs to be big changes. Whether or not Vlatko Andonovski is going to make the changes, well, that’s another story.”

Read more on the lineup changes she suggests for the match against Sweden.

Aug. 1: Carli Lloyd: USWNT ‘lucky to not be going home’

Following the third group-stage match against Portugal, the two-time World Cup champion turned Fox Sports analyst called out the USWNT players and head coach Vlatko Andonovski after the “uninspiring” result.

“There’s been a shift within this team, within the federation, within the culture, the mentality,” Lloyd said on the postgame broadcast. “The importance and meaning of winning has changed. What has come from winning has become more important.”

In particular, Lloyd took issue with the players’ seemingly relaxed conduct both before and after the scoreless draw. She pointed out players dancing before the match and then smiling and laughing after the final whistle.

“Players are smiling. They’re laughing. It’s not good enough,” she said.

More on USWNT vs. Netherlands:

July 27: Midge Purce: ‘I don’t understand why we have no subs’

Following the second group-stage match against the Netherlands, the injured USWNT forward questioned the lack of substitutions deployed in the 1-1 draw.

“I don’t understand why we have no subs. No subs! Just Rose,” Purce told Katie Nolan. The pair are hosting  Just Women’s Sports’ World Cup show “The 91st” throughout the tournament.

Each team can use up to five substitutions per match at the World Cup. In Wednesday’s draw, the USWNT used just one, as Purce noted: Rose Lavelle. Lavelle, who entered to start the second half, is recovering from a knee injury, which has limited her minutes so far in the tournament.

“Rose is great. We love Rose. Happy to see Rose,” Purce said. “But no subs? That’s very confusing. Where’s Lynn?”

USWNT forward (and Purce’s Gotham FC teammate) Lynn Williams has not seen the pitch through two World Cup matches.

More on USWNT vs. Netherlands:

July 24: Carli Lloyd points out ‘worrying trend’ for USWNT

The two-time World Cup champion turned Fox Sports analyst is concerned about the team’s struggle to finish its chances under head coach Vlatko Andonovski, she said ahead of the second group-stage match against the Netherlands.

“To be perfectly blunt, this has been a general theme with Vlatko ever since he became the coach in 2019,” Lloyd said. “Two years ago at the Olympics, we had chances that we weren’t putting away. That’s worrying. Because when you go deeper in a tournament, those opportunities are going to be few and far between.”

July 23: OL Reign coach believes Megan Rapinoe could take over World Cup

“In the biggest moment, when it really matters, you truly believe she is going to turn up,” OL Reign coach Laura Harvey said on “The Re-Cap Show” with Tobin Heath and Christen Press. “So it just wouldn’t shock me if she sets this thing alight.

“She might set it alight by playing 30 minutes every game, coming on and scoring the penalty that matters. Or taking the corner that matters. Or whipping three crosses in that matter. She just has an ability of doing the craziest things in the craziest moments in the only way that she can.”

July 22: Alex Morgan laments missed penalty kick in opening win

The 34-year-old striker missed a penalty kick in the USWNT’s 3-0 win against Vietnam to open the tournament. Morgan’s shot became the first U.S. penalty to be saved at a World Cup since 2003, when Mia Hamm’s attempt was stuffed against Norway.

“It wasn’t a good penalty for me and I know that,” Morgan said. She also lamented more missed opportunities throughout the match, in which the USWNT had 28 shots but just seven on target.

July 21: Tobin Heath: USWNT ‘has a massive question mark’

“It’s the Wild West of women’s football, and I really think that this team has a massive question mark over it,” the two-time World Cup champion told USA Today. “And I think that’s because there’s so many new and exciting players that could, at any point, just go off and have a tournament of their life. But whether that will happen or not is for us to kind of watch and enjoy.”

The 35-year-old forward is sitting out the World Cup for both physical and mental reasons, she told The Athletic.

July 19: Lindsey Horan navigates honor and burden of captaincy

While Horan and Alex Morgan are co-captains for the tournament, Horan will wear the armband when both are on the pitch at the same time. And she will aim to live up to the example set by longtime Sauerbrunn, whom she called her “role model and inspiration.”

“So much changes, but (it’s) also a very cool thing to be able to take on that responsibility and get to experience this. And I will have a lot of great people that get to help me along the way,” she told Just Women’s Sports.

July 13: Alex Morgan already is looking toward Paris 2024

The 34-year-old striker is preparing for her fourth World Cup with the USWNT. Yet her soccer goals don’t stop there. She already is looking toward an NWSL playoff run with the San Diego Wave and toward the Paris Olympics in 2024.

“I do want to win another World Cup. I do want to win other Olympics. I do want to win an NWSL championship,” she told the Los Angeles Times.

July 13: Lindsey Horan compares USWNT coaches Andonovski and Ellis

The 29-year-old midfielder experienced the 2019 World Cup title run with coach Jill Ellis. Now she is part of the 2023 run with Vlatko Andonovski, who took over for Ellis after the 2019 tournament.

“You have two coaches that maybe see the game in a little bit different way,” she told ESPN. “The way Jill managed us through the last World Cup was, you know, we’re going obviously out to win every single game and in the best way possible and we’re gonna play what the game brings us, what we can expose from different teams.”

Read more to see what she had to say about the current USWNT coach.

July 13: Crystal Dunn offers critique of USWNT’s World Cup kits

The 31-year-old defender discussed her mindset in the lead-up to the World Cup with Just Women’s Sports. She also gave her opinion of the Nike jerseys the USWNT will don Down Under.

“The white ones kind of look like my son took a paintbrush and just literally threw his paintbrush at me, so I think that’s kind of cool,” Dunn said. “I know that’s funny to say, but I think it’s a different look… I think I like our blue jerseys a little bit better. It just looks clean. I like the color blue, and I think it just looks more American.”

July 12: Carli Lloyd eyes next-generation USWNT stars

The former USWNT star, who is attending this World Cup as analyst with FOX Sports, has her eye on the next generation of USWNT standouts. Lloyd, who played on the 2015 and 2019 title-winning teams, pointed to a few up-and-comers in particular as players to watch: Naomi Girma, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Alyssa Thompson.

“They’re doing it at the club level, but this is the world’s biggest and best stage,” she told Boardroom. “It’s a whole different ballgame. So it’s going to be really interesting to see what players can rise to the challenge.”

Lloyd also identified several teams (other than the USWNT) that could make deep runs at the tournament, including Germany, England, Brazil, France and co-host Australia.

July 12: Alex Morgan: USWNT ‘never’ discusses three-peat

The USWNT is going for a third consecutive World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand, but the players do not discuss the potential feat, the USWNT co-captain said.

“It’s actually never thrown around it with the team,” Morgan said. “It’s thrown around with media. I think a lot of fans talk about it. But honestly, this team, we have 14 first timers for the World Cup and we see this as our own journey. Each four-year block is its own.”

Read more from Morgan and her co-captain Lindsey Horan on the team’s quest “to make history.”

July 10: Trinity Rodman: ‘We’re going to get the title’

Despite the tough road to a World Cup title, Rodman expects her team to take home the prize, she told ESPN’s “Fútbol Americas.”

“My expectations are that we’re the most ruthless team, we’re never going to give up and we’re going to get the title,” she said.

Read more highlights from her interview, which came after her two-goal performance against Wales in the USWNT’s World Cup send-off match.

July 9: Vlatko Andonovski: ‘The world is catching up’

The USWNT still holds the No. 1 spot in the FIFA ranking entering World Cup, but Andonovski knows the other 31 teams are hot on their heels.

“The top 10 teams have always been there,” he said after the USWNT’s pre-tournament tune-up against Wales. “We saw that. There was a different champion in 2003. It wasn’t the U.S. in 2007, 2011…

“The world that is catching up is Wales, is Vietnam, is Zambia, is Portugal. These are the countries that are catching up. The 7-0, 8-0 games are gone. And we can see that.”

July 9: Mallory Swanson believed she was ‘going to make’ World Cup roster despite injury

The 25-year-old forward tore the patellar tendon in her left knee during a USWNT friendly against Ireland in April. Despite the typical months-long recovery timeline for such an injury, she still held out hope for a World Cup appearance, at least for a little while.

“Honestly, there was a good time where I was like ‘I’m going to make it in time,'” Swanson told The Sporting News. “Realistically, anyone can go on Google and look up the recovery time for my injury, and it didn’t really correlate [with my expectations], but I was like ‘I’m gonna do it.'”

July 4: Sam Mewis breaks down World Cup bracket

The 30-year-old midfielder is missing the World Cup with a lingering knee injury, but she still took the time to break down the USWNT’s group-stage opponents and the top teams overall for Just Women’s Sports on the Snacks podcast.

“Can the U.S. win three? Yes. Will Europe get in there and have one of those teams who’ve been at the top get over the hump? Or is there another breakthrough team outside the U.S. and Europe?” she asked.

“I’m obviously rooting for the U.S. If I had to make a prediction, of course it would be them. [That] doesn’t mean that it’s going to be easy.”

Check out her full thoughts on the USWNT’s competitors, in the group stage and beyond.

The U.S. women’s national team is playing in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without a number of familiar faces.

Just Women’s Sports is taking a look at who those players are and why they’re absent. Next up: Mallory Swanson.

Position: Forward
Total caps: 88
Most recent USWNT appearance: April 8, 2023 vs. Ireland (International friendly)

Where is Swanson?

During the first of the USWNT’s pair of April friendlies against Ireland, Swanson tore the patellar tendon in her left knee. The injury dealt a significant blow to the 25-year-old forward and to the USWNT. She had been the squad’s leading scorer by far in 2023, with seven goals through six appearances.

Shortly after the injury, she underwent surgery to repair the tendon.

“This is hard. I’m in shock and don’t have much to say other than, thank you to everyone for the messages. I feel the love and prayers, and holding them close to my heart,” Swanson wrote on Instagram following the surgery. “Surgery this morning was a success. I’m thankful for my trainers, doctors, coaches, and teammates for their help throughout this process.

“The beauty out of all of this, is that God is always good. He’s got me and always has.”

A member of the 2019 World Cup team, Swanson was slated to play an even bigger role for the USWNT this time around. The team had been building around Swanson and Sophia Smith’s attacking power, head coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the injury, so he has had to rework the strategy for the front line.

“With losing Mal [Swanson], conceptually we may look slightly different,” he said. “Now with Mal not being there, we’re going to have to make a decision. What are we going to go for? Like for like and try the same way? Or is Mal going to be replaced by a group of players?

“We’re going to change that as we go forward, from game to game. It’s hard for me to answer this question right at this moment but once camp is over and we review it, we hope to have a little better answer or at least a clear understanding of the direction that we want to take.”

When will she return?

No timeline has been provided for Swanson’s recovery, but according to the Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, a mild tear can take “up to six months to heal, while a full tendon rupture, with surgery, can take up to a year.”

Swanson has been seen on the sidelines of Chicago Red Stars games in a brace. Recently, she told Fansided that post-surgery “was a little rocky at first” but she’s doing well. She also posted a video of herself kicking a ball on July 19 with the caption, “First touches in three months.”

“I was able to get my feet underneath me. Now it’s basically like taking it day by day and just rehabbing my knee,” she said. “I’m getting excited to watch the World Cup as well.”

Who else is absent from the World Cup roster?

U.S. women’s national team and Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson hasn’t had much time to think about anything other than her rehab these days. The 25-year-old phenom has been hard at work on her journey back to the field after suffering a torn patella tendon in an April friendly that kept her off the USWNT 2023 World Cup roster.

Swanson’s injury was one of the cruelest twists of fate, as one of the USWNT’s most in-form strikers saw her whole year change in an instant. Just last week, Swanson posted her first rehab update to Instagram. The video showed her getting touches on the ball with a member of the Red Stars training staff.

“First touches in three months,” read the caption, suggesting the forward’s recovery has remained on a linear timeline, something not all of her injured USWNT teammates have been granted.

Speaking with Just Women’s Sports on Wednesday, Swanson said she has been focused on not getting too ahead of herself in her recovery, instead taking everything one day at a time.

“It’s been good, recovery has been good,” she said. “I think that being able to kind of take a break and recover and rehab, and also still be a part of something that’s bigger than that rehab process, like being here, that has been really, really good for me.”

“Here” is a gallery in New York City’s Meatpacking District, at a four-day exhibit set up by Women’s World Cup sponsor Frito-Lay and Women’s Sports Foundation to celebrate the game and its culture.

Despite having the opportunity to play abruptly taken away from her, Swanson has stayed connected to the tournament by continuing her work with committed brands. In addition to juggling her rehab, she’s stayed involved with Cracker Jill (an offshoot of Cracker Jack) to interact with young athletes in women’s sports.

“Being able to connect with them because I was once in their shoes, and now I’m here (is) cool, in like a full-circle moment,” Swanson said.

Those brand relationships can sometimes be awkward for an athlete who is managing the emotions of not being able to be on the field themselves. But for Swanson, the opportunities are a welcome connection to the larger movement of the World Cup.

“I think sometimes when we’re so involved on the field, obviously we’re busy and everything, so it’s been nice to kind of take the time away to do that off the field,” she said.

Outside of helping grow the game in a new way, Swanson is living a life parallel to her teammates in New Zealand. She hasn’t watched much of the action so far, catching just the second half of the USWNT’s 3-0 win over Vietnam on Saturday (she has a good excuse, having spent the weekend at her best friend’s wedding).

She also hasn’t connected much with her teammates across the globe, instead giving them the space they need to be at their best.

“I know firsthand how (important it is) to focus on the games and that’s what you have to do,” Swanson said. The person she kept in closest contact with prior to the tournament was newly-named co-captain Lindsey Horan, but Swanson said she has since let her teammate focus on the task at hand.

“I’m excited just to see some of my best friends go out on the world stage, and just continue to show how great they are and continue to inspire so many people,” she added.

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Swanson said she kept in close contact with Lindsey Horan before the World Cup. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Swanson is rooting for the U.S. to bring back their third straight World Cup trophy. And in typical fashion for an elite athlete, Swanson is focused on returning to her sport’s biggest stage with the same intensity that she approaches games.

“I don’t have downtime. It is all rehab, just focusing on that,” she said of her day-to-day schedule.

“I’ve learned that it’s just a process, and yeah, I think that you can just enjoy it. As much as it might not be fun, I think that there’s still so much positive that you can get out of it.”

Swanson is excited both to get back on the field and to see how the biggest Women’s World Cup in the history of the sport takes hold in the U.S. For her personally, the journey isn’t over yet, and she’s learned to let go of what she can’t control.

“I think if there’s one thing that I have learned, it’s that any plan that you have can get flipped upside down real quick,” Swanson said. “I have no idea what the rest of the year holds. I’m just taking everything as it comes.”

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Alex Morgan is the lone U.S. women’s national team player in the top 10 of EA Sports’ 2023 Women’s World Cup player ratings.

EA Sports will release a World Cup update for its popular FIFA 23 game at the end of June in preparation for the tournament, which kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand. Australia’s Sam Kerr, Spain’s Alexia Putellas and Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen take the top three spots ahead of Morgan.

While no other USWNT star ranks in the top 10, the reigning World Cup champions count 12 players in the top 100 — though only 10 of those players are included on the World Cup roster. USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn and star forward Mallory Swanson both will miss the tournament with injuries.

Among the players who will make the trip Down Under, 22-year-old forward Sophia Smith comes behind Morgan at No. 14 overall, followed by midfielders Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan. Then comes Megan Rapinoe, Alyssa Naeher, Aubrey Kingsbury, Trinity Rodman, Casey Murphy and Kelley O’Hara.

Germany features the most players in the top 100 with 17 overall, though the team’s highest ranked player Alexandra Popp sits at No. 16 overall. England has 14 players in the top 100, while France has 13.

Still, the USWNT came out on top in the FIFA 23 simulation of the World Cup tournament, which saw the United States best Germany 4-2 in the championship match to claim the virtual three-peat.

FIFA 23 World Cup player ratings

Top 10 overall:

  1. Sam Kerr, Australia – 91
  2. Alexia Putellas, Spain – 91
  3. Caroline Graham Hansen, Norway – 90
  4. Alex Morgan, United States – 90
  5. Ada Hegerberg, Norway – 90
  6. Wendie Renard, France – 90
  7. Lucy Bronze, England – 90
  8. *Marie-Antoinette Katoto – 89
  9. Irene Paredes, Spain – 88
  10. Guro Reiten, Norway – 88

USWNT players in top 100:

  • 4. Alex Morgan, forward – 90
  • 14. Sophia Smith, forward – 87
  • 23. Rose Lavelle, midfielder – 87
  • 24. *Mallory Swanson, forward – 87
  • 26. Lindsey Horan, midfielder – 86
  • 33. *Becky Sauerbrunn, defender – 86
  • 35. Megan Rapinoe, forward – 86
  • 52. Alyssa Naeher, goalkeeper – 84
  • 58. Aubrey Kingsbury, goalkeeper – 84
  • 68. Trinity Rodman, forward – 83
  • 86. Casey Murphy, goalkeeper – 83
  • 92. Kelley O’Hara, defender – 83

The U.S. women’s national team will head to the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without a number of big names.

Longtime captain Becky Sauerbrunn, veteran forward Christen Press and young star Mallory Pugh Swanson are among the major absences from the squad due to injuries.

Becky Sauerbrunn

Sauerbrunn is missing what would have been her fourth World Cup due to a foot injury she suffered in April, as first reported by The Athletic. She later confirmed the news, writing that “heartbroken isn’t even the half of it.”

While she “hoped and worked and hoped” to make it back in time for the tournament, there ultimately was “too much variability in my return to play timeline,” she wrote. With 216 USWNT appearances, Sauerbrunn has the most experience of any veteran player on the USWNT. But she has faith in her teammates.

“To my teammates, I love you,” she wrote. “Please, take a minute to enjoy this moment and appreciate everything that brought you here—every second of hard work and every bit of good luck—and then get back to work and go win the whole f*cking thing!”

Mallory Swanson

Mallory Swanson tore her patella tendon in her left knee during the April friendlies against Ireland, which has left her out of the 2023 World Cup. While she had a successful surgery shortly after the injury, she has a long road to recovery ahead of her.

There haven’t been many updates on Swanson’s status since then, although she has been a supporter on the sidelines at Chicago Red Stars matches.

Abby Dahlkemper

Abby Dahlkemper has yet to return to the pitch after telling fans in February via TikTok that she had undergone back surgery in December. She had surgery to target sciatic nerve pain that had been impacting her left leg during the 2022 NWSL season.

“It turns out that I had a cyst and bone fragments hitting my nerve roots, so it was very much needed,” she said. As of February, her bones had already begun to fuse, which her doctor told her put her ahead of schedule. Back in May, Dahlkemper posted photos of her on the pitch, although she still remains out with her injury.

Sam Mewis

Star midfielder and the former No. 1 player in the world Sam Mewis has been out since August 2021 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her right knee that was originally meant to keep her out six to eight weeks. In January, she announced that she had undergone another surgery on that same knee.

“I’ll be starting my rehab at home where my family can support me,” she wrote. “I gave everything I had after my last procedure in 2021. This has been a really difficult time for me personally and I’ve been devastated to be away from soccer for so long.”

Mewis has no timeline for her return to soccer, and she’s not expected to play in the NWSL this season.

Catarina Macario

One of the USWNT’s top midfielders, Catarina Macario tore her ACL last June while playing for UWCL team Olympique Lyonnais. In May, she announced that she “won’t be physically ready for selection,” after a lengthy rehab process. It confirmed what had been speculation for some time, as the injury recovery took longer than expected.

As of mid-April she had remained sidelined even from training. She recently signed with Chelsea, however, and that deal was contingent on a medical evaluation.

Tobin Heath

One of the more senior members of the USWNT, Tobin Heath hasn’t suited up for the red, white and blue since October 2021. Throughout 2022 she struggled with injuries, including a hamstring injury that ended her season with Arsenal. She later joined OL Reign, appearing in five matches, before once again being sidelined with an injury.

She underwent season-ending knee surgery in September 2022 and has been seen doing limited training. In February, Andonovski said that Heath was “absolutely” still under consideration for World Cup selection and was up for selection in April.

Christen Press

Star forward Christen Press has undergone a “unique journey” in her recovery since tearing her ACL last June. Back in March, she revealed on Instagram that she had undergone three knee surgeries in the span of eight months on the same knee. Still, she remained optimistic about her World Cup hopes and had recently been seen back in cleats and training with Angel City.

There is, however, still hope for Press to return to the NWSL this season.

Which one player is the most essential to the success of the U.S. women’s national team at the 2023 World Cup?

Each month since September 2022, Just Women’s Sports has made the argument for a different member of the USWNT. Heading into the upcoming roster drop, that gives us 10 players who could make or break the team’s chances in Australia and New Zealand.

With one month to go until the World Cup, which players will have the biggest impact for the USWNT?

World Cup newcomers

Naomi Girma, 23, defender

After nearly sweeping the NWSL’s end-of-season awards as a rookie in 2022 – which included winning rookie and defender of the year and finishing as an MVP finalist – Girma has picked up right where she left off to begin 2023. And this summer at the World Cup, she’ll have the chance to prove herself on the world stage.

Sophia Smith, 22, forward

The reigning NWSL MVP scored 14 goals in the 2022 season, and she scored almost that many for the USWNT. Smith’s 11 goals in 2022 made her the youngest player to lead the team in scoring in a calendar year since Mia Hamm did it as a 21-year-old in 1993.

Lynn Williams, 30, forward

If Williams seems more like a World Cup veteran than a newcomer, that speaks to how indispensable she has become for the USWNT since the 2021 Olympics — even after missing most 0f 2022 with a hamstring injury. Her first goal of 2023 came just seven minutes into her first game back with the USWNT in January, and she has nine goals this year across all competitions.

Invaluable veterans

Crystal Dunn, 30, defender

With versatility as her self-proclaimed “superpower,”  Dunn can do it all for the USWNT. She starts for the team as an outside back, but her natural position is midfield, and you can tell in her creative ball movement.

Alex Morgan, 33, forward

A staple for the U.S. women’s national team for more than a decade, Morgan ranks fifth in USWNT history in goals and 1oth in assists. She was left off the roster for five camps from October 2021 through April 2022, but she used the absence as a challenge. Morgan enters the World Cup as the favorite to start at center forward.

Fitness questions

Julie Ertz, 31, midfielder

Several players could be key not just for their play but also for exactly how much they can play. Take Ertz, who made a surprise return in April for her first USWNT camp since August 2021. She played a full 90 minutes for Angel City FC on June 10, but she has been in and out of the lineup since April while working her way back to fitness after the birth of her son last August.

Rose Lavelle, 28, midfielder

Since injuring her knee in an April friendly against Ireland, Lavelle has not played a single minute. She has missed OL Reign’s last 12 across all competitions. The 2019 World Cup served as a breakout moment for the midfielder, and if she can recapture even a piece of that glory in 2023, the USWNT will be better for it.

Major absences

Becky Sauerbrunn, 38, defender

Absent players can leave their own impact on the lineup, and Sauerbrunn’s reported absence represents a huge blow to the USWNT backline. The 38-year-old returned from a nagging foot injury on June 3 for the Portland Thorns, playing 24 minutes in her first action since April 22. But she missed their June 11 match, and then came the report that the USWNT captain would not make the trip to Australia and New Zealand.

Catarina Macario, 23, midfielder

The rising star “won’t be physically ready for selection” to the USWNT as she continues to recover from an ACL tear, she revealed in May. The midfield has lacked depth in the absence of a player Andonovski has called the “future of the team.”

Mallory Swanson, 25, forward

After a 2021 Olympic snub, Swanson started 2023 in the best form of her career, with five goals in seven USWNT matches through the first two months of the year. In April, though, she tore the patellar tendon in her left knee during a friendly against Ireland. Even with the USWNT’s depth at the forward position, Swanson’s absence is a significant blow.