Recovery Report: When Will These USWNT Players Return from Injury?
The USWNT won the 2023 SheBelieves Cup, and it was interesting to watch the USWNT play without some key players. While some fresh, young stars have stepped up, we still miss seeing some of our favorite players on the pitch.
The women’s national team has suffered major losses due to various injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury and rehab time for each player, it has been hard to determine their return to the game. Here are the latest updates:
Sam Mewis
Mewis underwent surgery on her right knee in August of 2021 and spent the rest of the year rehabbing. While her return to the USWNT for the 2023 Women’s World Cup was anticipated, she released the news at the end of January about undergoing a second surgery last month. In her update, Mewis mentioned that she does not have a timeline for her return to soccer but will give her best effort in recovering.
— Samantha Mewis (@sammymewy) January 30, 2023
Julie Ertz
Another staple player for the USWNT, Julie Ertz, has not played since suffering a knee injury in 2021. Ertz was then out for the 2022 NWSL season due to her pregnancy. She gave birth to her son last August but has not returned to the USWNT roster and was traded to Angel City from the Chicago Red Stars. Ertz has not provided an update on when or if she will return to the field. Currently, coach Andonovski has said he will not rush her back to the USWNT.
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Tobin Heath
USWNT veteran and one of the biggest names in women’s soccer, Tobin Heath, struggled with a few injuries last year that kept her from playing. She recieved surgery on her left knee in September, ending her 2022 season. Though the OL Reign originally suggested that Heath would be back to playing in the near future, Heath has no real timeline for her return. On the national side, she will likely have to fight to earn a spot back on the USWNT roster now that some of the younger players made a name for themselves in her position.
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Catarina Macario
The Lyon midfielder tore her ACL last June and has been out recovering since then. As a result, she missed several regular season club games and some important matches with the national squad. However, as of the start of this month, Macario was hopefully listed to return to the USWNT roster by April. She returned to training and expects a smooth recovery.
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Christen Press
Christen Press tore her ACL last June, sidelining her the entire season. She has been rehabbing since then, even alongside Tobin Heath. She is expected to be able to return to play as early as the end of this month or in March. Like Heath, she may find it challenging to return to the USWNT roster; however, she will remain with Angel City for the 2023 season.
Tierna Davidson
Another player to sustain a tear to her ACL was Tierna Davidson, who was out since last March following her injury. However, in November, she was spotted training with the German club Vfl Wolfsburg, where she remained throughout her rehab process. Davidson returned to training with the USWNT, but Andonovski didn’t name her to the tournament roster. She was expected to make a full return this month, but until she is ready for that, she will continue training with the national team.
Not the end of my recovery journey but a big step! So excited to be back with the girls 🤝🫡 https://t.co/HlcRjHf9R2
— Tierna Davidson (@tierna_davidson) February 1, 2023
We wish these awesome players a quick and speedy recovery! Until we see them on the pitch again, we can cheer on the USWNT for their SheBelieves Cup victory!
Featured image via Getty Images
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