Report: Team USA captain Becky Sauerbrunn will miss the 2023 Women’s World Cup

Team USA’s defender and team captain Becky Sauerbrunn is expected to miss the 2023 Women’s World Cup due to an injury, per Meg Linehan. She sustained a foot injury in April that caused her to miss time during the NWSL season, and she wasn’t able to recover quickly enough to be ready for the Women’s World Cup. Players were informed of their status on Thursday, with a full roster announcement expected next week.

Sauerbrunn won the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cups with Team USA. The 38-year-old is seen as a veteran of international play and a leader on the team. She wasn’t known for lighting up the box score with goals or assists, but Sauerbrunn played vital minutes as a defender for Team USA. At this point in her career, she has made 216 international appearances for the USWNT.

While Sauerbrunn was confirmed not to be on the roster, three players were confirmed to be playing in this year’s Women’s World Cup. Goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury, midfielder Savannah DeMelo and defender Kelley O’Hara will be on the roster for the tournament.