(FILES) USA’s Becky Sauerbrunn controls the ball during the women’s friendly football match between New Zealand and the US at Sky Stadium in Wellington on January 18, 2023. (Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)
Becky Sauerbrunn, captain of the two-time defending Women’s World Cup champion United States squad, will miss the upcoming World Cup due to a foot injury, according to multiple reports Friday.
Sauerbrunn, a 38-year-old defender, suffered a setback earlier this month with the National Women’s Soccer League’s Portland Thorns of an injury suffered in April, unnamed sources told ESPN and The Athletic.
This year’s Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, kicks off July 20.
Sauerbrunn has 216 caps for the Americans and helped the US women capture World Cup titles in 2015 in Canada and 2019 in France. She also contributed to 2012 Olympic gold in London and was on the third-place squad at the Tokyo Olympics.
She helped Portland win the NWSL title last year and was part of championship sides with Kansas City in 2014 and 2015.
US head coach Vlatko Andonovski is expected to name his final roster for the tournament in the next few days.