USWNT Captain Becky Sauerbrunn to Miss Women’s World Cup, per Report

The U.S. will reportedly be without its captain in its quest to win a third straight World Cup title.

Becky Sauerbrunn will not play for the U.S. women’s national team in the 2023 World Cup as she continues to rehab from a foot injury she sustained in April, according to The Athletic.

The 38-year-old injured her foot while playing for the NWSL’s Thorns, which kept her from playing for the majority of May. She returned to action as a substitute in the second half of Portland’s game against OL Reign on June 3, but after that appearance, Sauerbrunn did not play in club’s match against the Pride on Sunday.

Sauerbrunn, a defender on the USWNT, has served as the team’s captain since 2021 and has appeared in 216 matches. She also played a key role in helping the team win its two previous World Cups in 2015 and ’19.

Apstein: The Future Is Now for the USWNT

In addition to her World Cup experience, Sauerbrunn made her Olympic debut at the 2012 London Olympics, where she helped the United States earn a gold medal. She later appeared in the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro before helping the U.S. win bronze at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Without Sauerbrunn on the roster, the U.S. will seek to win an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title this summer. The tournament will begin in New Zealand and Australia on July 20.