US national team captain Becky Sauerbrunn has a right foot injury that will keep her out of the Women’s World Cup next month.
A person familiar with the matter confirmed to The Associated Press a report in The Athletic that Sauerbrunn will miss the World Cup. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because an Sauerbrunn’s status has not been publicly announced.
The U.S. women’s national team is expected to unveil its 23-player roster for the World Cup next week. The two-time defending World Cup champions will play a send-off match against Wales in San Jose on July 9 before departing for the tournament, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
The United States opens the World Cup with a match against Vietnam on July 22 in Auckland.
The loss of Sauerbrunn is a blow to the team. The 38-year-old defender is considered among the top players in the world at center back and anchored the backline for the World Cup champions in 2015 and 2019.
Sauerbrunn, who plays professionally for the Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League, originally hurt her foot in April. She briefly was a substitute in a June 3 match against the Reign, but hasn’t played since. The nature of the injury has not been made public.
Sauerbrunn has played for the senior national team since 2008, appearing in three total World Cups. She also won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
The United States has been hit with injuries ahead of the World Cup. Forward Mallory Swanson had surgery after injuring her left knee during an April exhibition match against Ireland. Fellow forward Catarina Macario recently announced that she would miss the World Cup after tearing her ACL playing for her club team in France last year.
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