Nadia Nadim’s mother died Tuesday after she was hit by a truck, the Racing Louisville FC striker revealed Wednesday morning. She was 57 years old.

“Words can not describe what I’m feeling,” Nadim said in an Instagram post. “I have lost the most important person in my life and it happened so sudden and unexpected.”

Nadim was raised in Afghanistan until her father, a general in the Afghan National Army, was killed by the Taliban in 2000. After his death, Hamida Nadim smuggled Nadia and her sisters out of Afghanistan and to Denmark, where Nadia started her soccer career.

Nadim has played for the Denmark women’s national team since 2009, and she has 38 goals in 103 appearances at the international level. She has played in the NWSL since 2014 and has played the last two seasons for Racing Louisville.

The 34-year-old also earned a medical degree and qualified as a doctor in January 2022.

“She didn’t give me life once but twice, and everything I/we are is because of her,” she said on Instagram. “I have lost my home and I know nothings gonna ever feel the same.”

Nadim concluded her post with a request, writing: “Please come and show her the love, respect and prayers she deserves.”

The soccer community delivered, sending their support via the comments of Nadim’s post.

“Sending my love and strength,” Netherlands national team player Daniëlle van de Donk wrote. Racing Louisville FC teammate Katie Lund commented as well, writing: “Praying for you my sweet friend.”

Samantha Kerr, Ella Toone, Nikita Parris, Ebony Salmon and more also sent messages to Nadim.

Racing Louisville’s Nadia Nadim has torn her ACL, announcing the news on social media Sunday.

“Unfortunately I tore my ACL in my left knee in our last game. Obviously I’m devastated. But I have faced obstacles and rough times since I was a child- so you might say I’m an expert in overcoming them,” Nadim said.

“I was born a fighter and I know that nothing can break me down.”

Nadim’s injury comes one year after the 34-year-old first tore her ACL in Sept. 2021.

The star forward first joined Racing Louisville in June 2021, notching three goals and one assist before incurring the season-ending injury.

With six goals in seven starts, Nadim is Louisville’s leading goal scorer through the 2022 campaign. Her absence is a considerable blow to Racing Louisville, with the club 11th in the NWSL standings and on the outside looking in of a postseason push.

Louisville has two matches reaming on its regular season calendar as the club looks to improve upon its 3-9-8 record.

Racing Louisville FC lost 1-0 against the Kansas City Current on Monday. But according to Racing manager Kim Björkegren, the club’s woes started a day earlier due to the conditions of the practice field.

The visiting team planned to practice Sunday at Park University’s Hemingway Field, according to a report.

“We were trying to do a training here in Kansas, but we couldn’t do it because of the quality of the pitch that they gave us,” Björkegren said after the loss. “We had a goal that was not a normal goal, that was falling down on [Jordyn] Bloomer, our goalkeeper.”

Bloomer was in a boot and crutches, and the club is concerned about her condition and waiting to learn more, reported WHAS11’s Tyler Greever.

Katie Lund, the usual starter, played in net for the match, and emergency backup Hillary Beall was flown in to replace Bloomer. Bloomer has not played in any regular-season matches so far, but did play in a Challenge Cup match against the Houston Dash in April.

“It had been a mess with many things, and I think these kinds of things can’t be a part of a professional league,” Björkegren added.

In response, the Kansas City Current said they will look into the incident, but also said the practice field is the same one that has been provided to all visiting teams “without incident.”

The league’s operations manual states that visiting teams should be given reasonable access to use of the home team’s practice facilities, per The Athletic’s Meg Linehan.

Kansas City is in the process of building a soccer-specific stadium as well as a brand new training facility. Those plans were unveiled in September 2021. The team currently plays at Children’s Mercy Park.

Racing forward Nadia Nadim took to her Twitter account to call out the training conditions. While no official announcement has been made connecting the falling goal and Bloomer’s injury, Nadim seemed to allude to a connection. She also called on the NWSL to take action.

“Giving poor conditions, trying to benefit in order to beat us, with our teammate getting hurt as a result,” she wrote. “Whatever it takes to win right? This cant be happening in a league that suppose to be one of the best?!”

Five weeks of NWSL preseason down, two to go.

Teams have been scrimmaging with colleges and other NWSL teams and are beginning to get a better feel for how their squads will look on the pitch when the Challenge Cup begins March 18.

Across training camps, players are returning from injury, teams are changing their formations, while fresh faces are getting a chance to explore their new cities.

Here’s what’s been happening for Louisville, Portland and Angel City this week in NWSL camp.

‘I’m going to do everything to be ready’

Nadia Nadim is — kind of, almost — back.

The Louisville star scored three goals and grabbed an assist in eight games last season before tearing her ACL in September. Ironically, in January, amidst her recovery process, she became a doctor. Naturally, she’s executed a recovery process that puts her exactly where she needs to be at this point.

This week, she returned to training without any contact. She hopes to play in matches by May.

“My knee has responded amazingly,” she said.

The next step is to work on gaining the muscle she lost over the last few months. A lot of time is being spent at the gym and doing individual cardio and strength exercises.

“I’m going to do everything to be ready as soon as possible,” the 34-year-old said.

While itching to get back into games, she’s also been content in the Florida sunshine, finally free of the studying and exams that she was consumed with while becoming a doctor. These days, she sleeps “very well.”

“The last three months, I’m going to be honest, were very, very tough,” she said with a laugh. “I’m not a person who gets stressed, but I think that was stress.” She later added, “It shows what humans are capable of. You can always push that wall a tiny bit more.”

Nadim has only been training with the young Louisville team for a couple weeks, but she reports that, “Everyone’s very willing to learn.”

Louisville is coming off a debut season which saw the club finish ninth in the league. Coach Christy Holly was fired “for cause” in August, with the details of his dismissal remaining under wraps.

Under new head coach Kim Björkegren, Racing plans to play a possession style that is direct in nature. Most recently leading Cyprus’ Apollon Ladies FC to an undefeated season, Björkegren prefers to base his systems of play off the players he has, rather than coming in with a predetermined philosophy.

“He’s going to be amazing for us, and I can’t wait for these players to grow,” said Nadim.

New formation, who this?

The Portland Thorns will have a different shape on the field this year. Head coach Rhian Wilkinson hasn’t spilled the specifics, but she says it won’t stray too far from former coach Mark Parsons’ 4-diamond-2.

Wilkinson likes to use width, so the changes have a lot to do with stretching the field side to side for “possession with real purpose,” as she puts it. How players look and play in certain positions will also look different.

Defender Kelli Hubly told reporters Friday she’s excited about the change.

“I think personnel-wise, it fits us better this year with who we have,” she said. “Definitely some growing pains at times with everyone figuring out their new role, but I think overall, once it’s going to click, it’s going to work really well for us, and I think we’re all really excited to play this and looking forward to getting some games in and playing with each other.”

Wilkinson, who was just inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame, is described as a laid-back coach by her players.

“It’s different but it’s good,” said Hubly. “I like it. I think we’re all really excited to get to know her more and her style.”

Exploring the city

While a lot of teams from further north have had to train through February in southern states, Angel City has had the opportunity to settle right into their new home of Los Angeles.

With players getting to hang in their own backyard, head coach Freya Coombe said she was interested in knowing what they got up to in their off days. So we decided to ask a few ACFC players directly.

Midfielder Dani Weatherholt, who grew up near LA in Capistrano Beach, Calif., has spent most of her weekends hiking with her dog, Nora. Usually the pair can be found in the Malibu Canyon.

“It’s absolutely beautiful out there,” she said.

When she’s not under the sunshine and enjoying the mountains, she’s trying new restaurants in the city.

“The fans have been doing a great job of letting us know where to go,” she said.

Forward Jasmyne Spencer has tried to do a new thing every weekend. Recently, she visited the Broad Museum, where she picked up some inspiration for how to decorate her new apartment.

“[It] was really cool,” she said. “Got to see some really cool art.”

Angel City will begin their inaugural season on March 19th when they face off against the NWSL’s other expansion team, the San Diego Wave.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Racing Louisville has taken a huge hit heading into the final stretch of the season. The team announced Tuesday that they have placed forward Nadia Nadim on the season-ending injury list after she suffered a torn ACL during Saturday’s game against the Orlando Pride.

Nadim is set to have surgery in the coming weeks.

“Obviously we are all hugely disappointed,” said James O’Connor, Racing’s executive vice president of development, in a release. “Nadia is a big player for us, and we will miss the quality, leadership and spirit that made her a fan favorite in such a short space of time. I have no doubt that Nadia will attack this like so many things she has in her life: full on.”

Following her arrival from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, Nadim made an immediate impact in Louisville. Through Saturday, she had already tallied three goals and an assist.

“It’s sad that this happened,” Nadim said. “I know injuries are part of football, but the timing is poor for the team and for me with so much on my plate — including the national team. But it is what it is. Life never happens the way you expect.

“I’m ready to do everything to return and am motivated to get back on the field and help the team. It could be worse. It could always be worse.”

Nadia Nadim’s stint with Racing Louisville FC may be cut short after she suffered an injury during the team’s 3-1 loss to the Orlando Pride on Saturday.

The star striker reportedly tore her ACL after a tackle by Orlando’s Phoebe McClernon in the 17th minute. Racing Louisville trainers carried Nadim off the field on a stretcher.

Tom Garry of The Telegraph reports that Nadim will have surgery in the coming days and possibly travel to the United Kingdom or Qatar for the procedure.

Nadim signed with Louisville in June, leaving Paris Saint-Germain to return to the NWSL. In her eight games with Racing Louisville, Nadim has scored three goals and notched one assist.

The Chicago Sky made an emphatic return from the Olympic break, downing the Seattle Storm 87-85 in overtime on Sunday.

Allie Quigley drained five 3-pointers on 41.7 percent shooting to lead the Sky from beyond the arc. The veteran guard scored 17 points and added eight rebounds and four assists.

Kahleah Copper led the Sky in points with 19, shooting 46.7 percent from the field.

Candace Parker showed up for Chicago as well, notching 12 points and nine rebounds. Parker moved to 8th in all-time league rebound leaders with 3016.

Jewell Loyd and Ezi Magbegor came up clutch for the Storm, with Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart out resting after the Olympics. The duo combined for 47 points, with each scoring in the 20-point range. However, Loyd and Magbegor’s offensive efforts weren’t enough to hold off a surging Chicago Sky.

Sunday’s victory marks the Sky’s first OT win of the season.

Next up: The Chicago Sky will host the Dallas Wings on Tuesday. The Seattle Storm will take on the New York Liberty on Wednesday.

Nadia Nadim is returning to the NWSL.

It marks the second Paris Saint-Germain player to exit the club and join the NWSL after Alana Cook returned to the OL Reign on a permanent transfer Monday.

Racing Louisville FC announced the signing of the forward this morning.

It’s not Nadim’s first time playing in the NWSL. The Danish national teamer previously played for Sky Blue FC and the Portland Thorns, where she won the 2016 Shield and 2017 title. Most recently, she helped Paris Saint-Germain unseat Lyon at the top of France’s Division 1 Féminine scoring 10 goals in 15 matches.

She’ll provide a much-needed scoring boost for Racing Louisville who currently sits at ninth in the standings after back-to-back losses.