Injuries

Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario will make their long-awaited returns to the United States women’s national team after missing an extended period due to knee injuries.

Swanson’s last USWNT game was April 8, 2023, against the Republic of Ireland. During that game she suffered a gruesome torn patella tendon.

Macario returns after nearly two years with her previous national team appearance being a friendly vs. Uzbekistan on April 12, 2022. She tore her ACL that summer with her previous club Lyon.

The United States women’s national team was hit with a major injury blow on Monday when striker Mia Fishel tore her ACL in her right knee during training. Alex Morgan will fill Fishel’s spot on the USWNT’s roster.

Fishel’s injury came one day before the USWNT play their opening match in the inaugural Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup.

Mia Fishel ACL injury

Inter Miami’s horrible preseason tour had its next devasting chapter on Wednesday in Japan as the Herons lost to J-League side Vissel Kobe 4-3 on penalties, Sergio Busquets suffered a nasty injury and Lionel Messi laughed at a teammate for missing a penalty.

Messi laughing at Robert Taylor’s missed penalty kick was one of the most discussed moments of the friendly game.

Cristiano Ronaldo won’t be playing against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on Thursday due to a calf injury said Al Nassr head coach Luis Castro. 

Castro said that Ronaldo is in the final stages of his recovery and won’t be able to play in the friendly. Many fans had dubbed the game as the “Last Dance” between two of the greatest soccer players the world has ever seen.

Why is Ronaldo not playing vs Messi’s Inter Miami

Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr have cancelled their two-game China tour after the forward suffered an injury, the Saudi club said on Tuesday, sparking concern over the Portuguese's participation in their upcoming encounter against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.

Al-Nassr were scheduled to play Shanghai Shenhua on Jan. 24 and Zhejiang four days later, with both games now postponed.

Legendary United States women’s national team midfielder Sam Mewis has announced her retirement from professional soccer at 31 years old.

Mewis, who won the World Cup with the USWNT in 2019, said that her prolonged knee injury is the reason for hanging up her boots.

The initial knee injury took place in 2017 and was a serious issue with her knee cartilage. She battled through the injury and competed in the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Olympics, but needed another surgery in January 2023.

Manchester City will again have to do without their leading scorer Erling Haaland when they face Newcastle United in the Premier League this weekend, but Kevin De Bruyne could make his first start of the season since Aug. 11, Pep Guardiola said on Friday.

Haaland, with 14 league goals in 15 games is joint top scorer in the Premier League alongside Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, but has missed City's last eight games in all competitions with a foot injury.

Barcelona women's captain and twice Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas will undergo knee surgery, her club said on Tuesday.

The Spain forward had to leave the national team training camp in Madrid last month because of a knee injury, which also kept her out of recent matches with Barcelona.

Alexia Putellas knee injury

Barcelona have announced that Alexia Putellas will undergo surgery on her left knee this Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/rh8rdn10cg

Brazil forward Neymar will not recover from knee surgery in time to play at next year's Copa America, national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said on Tuesday.

Brazil's top scorer underwent surgery last month after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee on international duty in October.

Lasmar, who carried out the surgery, said the 31-year-old is not expected to be fit until August and they do not intend to take short cuts in the recovery process for him to play at the June 20-July 14 tournament in the United States.

Belgium's number one goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said he will not go to next year's European Championship in order to fully recover from a knee injury, he told Belgian TV station VRT broadcast on Tuesday.

"I need to recover fully, so it's better to provide clarity now," the Real Madrid player said.

"If I'm lucky, I might be able to play a match come May, but I'll never be ready for the tournament. I can't be in the goal at 80% or 85%, I should step aside for other good players."

Courtois Euro 2024