The U.S. women’s national team will compete in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without some of its regular players. One of the ones that will be absent is Mallory Swanson, who has been a key figure for the team in recent years.

The 25-year-old forward had been the team’s leading scorer by far in 2023, with seven goals through six appearances. And it’s not surprising as she has several incredible records, such as being the youngest player in USWNT history to reach 10 career assists.

For head coach Vlatko Andonovski, Swanson was one of his most reliable players up front alongside Sophia Smith. However, due to an unfortunate event she won’t be able to be part of the roster. Check out what happened to her.

Why is Mallory Swanson not participating in the 2023 Women’s World Cup?

Swanson tore the patellar tendon in her left knee during the first of the USWNT’s pair of April friendlies against Ireland. Shortly after the injury, she underwent surgery to repair the tendon. Recently, there has been an “epidemic” of ACL injuries in women’s soccer, with many big players such as Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead and more suffering similar fates.

“This is hard. I’m in shock and don’t have much to say other than, thank you to everyone for the messages. I feel the love and prayers, and holding them close to my heart,” Swanson wrote on Instagram following the surgery. “Surgery this morning was a success. I’m thankful for my trainers, doctors, coaches, and teammates for their help throughout this process. The beauty out of all of this, is that God is always good. He’s got me and always has.”

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski said that Swanson’s injury will cause the team to look “conceptually (…) slightly different,” per Just Women Sports. While there’s no timeline for Swanson’s return, a mild tear can take up between six months to even a year to heal, depending on treatment and more.

Mallory Swanson

Women's World Cup 2023: Why was Mallory Swanson not called up to the United States national team?