USWNT forward Catarina Macario will miss 2023 World Cup with knee injury
U.S. women's national team forward Catarina Macario has announced she'll miss the 2023 World Cup amid an ongoing recovery from an ACL tear.
Macario suffered the injury in June 2022 during Lyon's final match of the season, and she has not returned to the pitch since.
With just two months remaining until the World Cup, the 23-year-old posted on social media that she is not sufficiently recovered yet to take part in the tournament.
"While I'm excited and super optimistic about my future as a footballer, I'm sad to share that I won't be physically ready for selection to our U.S. World Cup team," she said on Tuesday.
"The desire to return to play for my club and country has driven my training and fueled my everyday life. However, what's most important right now is my health and getting fit and ready for my next club season.
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"I am eternally grateful to Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital for always supporting me and guiding me in my rehab, and to U.S. Soccer and [head coach] Vlatko Andonovski for prioritizing my long-term health over any individual and collective ambitions.
"I'll be cheering hard for my teammates at the World Cup, and I look forward to dedicating myself to fight to earn a spot for what I hope will be a long future on the U.S. national team."
The Brazilian-born rising star earned her U.S. citizenship and had her first call-up to the USWNT on the same day in 2020. She excelled at Stanford — winning the NCAA championship twice and being honored with the Hermann Trophy two times as well — before heading overseas to play with the venerated French side.
The USWNT also lost veteran Mallory Swanson last month when she tore a tendon in her patella during a friendly against Ireland.
The team will be seeking its third straight World Cup win.
Contributing: Victoria Hernandez, Paste BN