After picking up a serious knee injury against Ireland on Saturday, the striker will miss this summer's tournament in Australia and New Zealand
Devastating, just devastating. That's all you can really say. Even as she left the field seemingly in good spirits, we all knew what this meant for Mallory Swanson. Her hands may have formed a heart as she thanked the crowd for support, but there was nothing to love about any of this.
The moment Swanson was carted off against Ireland on Saturday, the U.S. women's national team's World Cup hopes dramatically shifted. And, perhaps most importantly, a person's life changed, as Swanson was robbed of a chance to become a true superstar on the biggest stage.
That's what the 24-year-old was on her way to becoming: A superstar. She has been the USWNT's best player in 2023, the leader of a new generation desperate to make their own mark by bringing another World Cup home.
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And the USWNT still could do that. The talent is there to do so, but if they are to find success in Australia and New Zealand this summer, it will have to come without Swanson.
Her devastating injury is a blow for her, for the U.S. and for the women's game in general, as the World Cup will be missing a true breakout star candidate.
GettyA devastating injury
From the start, it just seemed like it wasn't Swanson's day.
The forward suffered an early injury against Ireland in a scary collision, requiring a few minutes of attention before carrying on. It was a frightening sequence as Swanson smashed into Courtney Brosnan, but the USWNT star was lucky to avoid serious injury to her head or neck.
Unfortunately, she wasn't able to avoid what came a few moments later.
Her knee injury, since diagnosed as a torn patella tendon, came after another collision with an Irish player, this time Aoife Mannion, and, from the moment it happened, it didn't look good. Swanson went down clutching her knee and her team-mates looked visibly saddened by what they'd just witnessed.
Swanson was subsequently carted off, making her hands into a heart to thank the fans as she departed, but make no mistake, there was nothing to love about this.
She is now undergoing further evaluation in Chicago, according to a U.S. Soccer spokesman and, in time, she'll make her own announcement about her injury timeline.
AdvertisementGettyDerailing a dominant year
What makes all of this so frustrating is just how good Swanson had been up until this point. It's almost impossible to make the case that, through the first four months of 2023, any member of the USWNT had played anywhere close to her level.
Swanson has scored seven goals in her six national team games in 2023, having been an NWSL MVP finalist in 2022. After missing much of the previous two seasons due to injuries and form, Swanson had 14 goal involvements in 2022, including a team-high seven assists, before scoring in five consecutive games to start 2023.
Since bursting onto the scene as a teenager in 2016, the forward had finally truly reached her world-class potential. She was a world-beater, a star, an unstoppable force in the USWNT attack, but all of that has been derailed at the worst possible moment, just three months before a World Cup.
GettySomehow, still upbeat
USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski is, quite frankly, shocked. Not just about the injury, but rather how his superstar has handled herself since it happened.
"Mal is doing good," Andonovski said. "Honestly, she's doing better than I thought. She's stronger than me, let's put it that way."
It's a wonder that Swanson is finding a way to stay positive, given what all of this means. This injury, barring an incredible miracle, will rob her of a chance to play at the World Cup, the biggest stage of them all. And that's sad, no matter which way you slice it.
Sure, she's played in a World Cup before, having been a part of the 2019 squad that lifted the trophy. She wasn't a key figure, though. She would have been more than that this time around, and may very well have been a player pushing for the Golden Boot if healthy. She won't get a chance to and, even if there's still a 2027 tournament likely in her future, missing out on this one won't feel any better.
Swanson, though, is determined to smile through it, and it appears she's ready to accept her new role as the USWNT's biggest supporter.
"I had a chance to talk to her and had really good conversation," Andonovski said. "Even before we knew what the injury is, when she was walking out, she had this big smile on her face and said 'Coach, I'm fine, I'll be good'.
"She was very thankful for all the support that she got from from the staff, from players and outside of this environment. All she wants is for the team to be successful. She has been our biggest supporter. Very, very good mindset, very good mentality, and she has things planned right away in terms of the timeline of how everything is going to play out for her from the rehab and medical side of it.
"She's in a good place, as good as she can be at this moment. We're gonna miss her but, at same time, Mal wants us to move on and be successful and do it right for her."
GettyA loss for the USWNT, a loss for all
This, obviously, is horrible news for Swanson, who will miss out on what could have been a career-defining summer. Its also horrible news for the USWNT, who will now be missing their most in-form superstar heading into a major tournament.
And it's also bad news for the women's game in general, as this summer's tournament will go on with a player that looked destined to announce herself as part of the next generation of stars.
Swanson is not yet in her prime, a scary thought considering what we've seen from her so far. Still, this tournament was set to be her first World Cup in the spotlight as she, like Naomi Girma and Sophia Smith, have become household names over the past year or so.
Some members of the old guard are still around, legends like Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and Julie Ertz, but Swanson is a key part of the USWNT's present and future. Yet, she won't get the chance to show it.
The World Cup is all about showcasing the best the game has to offer. It's a moment in time, a chance to make history, for countries and players all over the world.
Yet, it's still a tournament determined by its star teams and star players. It'll be a tournament defined by Alexia Putellas or Lauren James or Debinha or Morgan or Smith or whoever. There will be no shortage of superstars on display in Australia and New Zealand this summer.
But every one counts, and the absence of any will be felt. Swanson is one of those stars, and the tournament is just a little bit worse not having her involved.