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 US women’s national team at this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The star attacking midfielder posted the news on Instagram.

“While I am excited and super optimistic about my future as a footballer, I am saddened to share that I will not be physically ready for selection for our U.S. World Cup squad,” Macario wrote.

“The desire to return to play for my club and country has boosted my training and nourished my daily life. However, the most important thing right now is my health and getting fit and ready for my next club season. I am Aspetar Orthopedic eternally grateful to Sports Medicine Hospital for always supporting and guiding my rehabilitation, and to US Soccer and Vlatko Andonovski for prioritizing my long-term health over individual and collective aspirations.

“I will be cheering hard for my teammates at the World Cup, and I look forward to dedicating myself to fighting 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 she tore her ACL during a match for Olympique Lyonnais last June. She has been working hard to rehabilitate and become fit and healthy – she has been working for months at Aspetar in Doha, Qatar. Her absence this summer was always a possibility, but earlier this year US coach Vlatko Andonovski hoped she would return to training with Lyon in March. Then it was April. Now she has confirmed she will not be fully recovered in time to compete in her first World Cup, which begins on July 20.

She led Lyon with 23 goals during the 2021-22 season and also became the first American player to score in a UEFA Women’s Champions League final in Lyon’s 3-1 victory over Barcelona last year. She has 17 caps and eight goals for the USWNT and was part of the 2020 Olympic 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 after her contract with Lyon expires this summer (and once she is medically cleared).

So what does this mean for the US at the World Cup? Not too much. The team has learned how to play without Macario over the past year, so Andonovski’s plan shouldn’t change. Plus, if there’s an area where the USWNT is stacked, it’s on 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 @Lake Litman.