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U.S. women’s national team forward Catarina Macario announced Tuesday that she will not be able to play in this summer’s Women’s World Cup after a yearlong rehab from an ACL tear.

Macario, 23, plays for Lyon in France and suffered the injury in the final game of Lyon’s 2021-22 season on June 1, 2022 after leading the club with 23 goals. She returned to training but did not play in any matches during the recently concluded 2022-23 season.

“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,” Macario wrote on social media. “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.”

Macario added that she intends to one day “fight to earn a spot for what I hope will be a long future on the U.S. national team.”

Macario was the MVP of the 2022 SheBelieves Cup and has tallied eight goals and two assists in 17 caps for the USWNT.

The Americans’ first game in the Women’s World Cup is scheduled for July 21 against Vietnam. Complicating matters, the defending champions are expected to be without another forward, Mallory Swanson, who suffered a torn patellar tendon in an exhibition earlier this year.

–Field Level Media