USWNT star Catarina Macario ruled out of 2023 World Cup
Catarina Macario announced on Tuesday that she will not be "physically ready" to play for the U.S. women's national team in this summer's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The star attacking midfielder posted the news on Instagram.
"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.
"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. 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 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."
Macario, 23, has not played since tearing her ACL during a match for Olympique Lyonnais last June. She's worked hard to rehab and get fit and healthy — she's been working at Aspetar in Doha, Qatar for months. Her absence this summer was always a possibility, but earlier this year U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski was hopeful she would be back training with Lyon in March. Then it was April. Now she has confirmed that she won't be fully recovered in time to play in her first World Cup, which begins July 20.
She led Lyon with 23 goals during the 2021-22 season and also became the first U.S. player to score in a UEFA Women's Champions League final in Lyon's 3-1 win over Barcelona last year. She has 17 caps and eight goals for the USWNT, and was on the 2020 Olympics team. She was expected to be a regular starter for the USWNT before her injury and Andonvoski has described her as a world class player.
Macario was also in the news recently when it was reported that Chelsea would sign her following the expiry of her Lyon contract this summer (and once she is medically cleared).
So what does this mean for the U.S. at the World Cup? Not too much. The squad has learned how to play without Macario for the past year, so Andonovski's plan shouldn't change. Plus, if there's any area where the USWNT is stacked, it's in the attack.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
