Midfielder Sam Mewis has undergone a second knee surgery and is unlikely to be available to play for the United States in this summer’s Women’s World Cup.
Mewis, who also plays for the Kansas City Current in the National Women’s Soccer League, first underwent surgery on her right knee in August 2021. But she required another surgery last week. she announced Monday on social media.
“This has been a really difficult time for me personally and I am devastated to be away from football for so long,” she said.
The loss is a blow to the United States because the 30-year-old Mewis is considered one of the best players in the world at her position. Mewis is also expected to miss the upcoming NWSL season with the Current.
“I don’t have a timetable for returning to football, but I will do my best in my recovery as I always have,” Mewis said.
Mewis was originally expected to be sidelined for two months after his first procedure. He was traded to Current before the 2022 season and made a couple of preseason appearances, but hasn’t played in a regular-season game with the team.
The Current bought out Mewis’ previous contract and signed her to a new deal for 2023.
Mewis was on the USA team that won the World Cup in 2019. A regular member of the national team since 2016 with 83 caps, Mewis was voted the 2020 USA Soccer Player of the Year.
USA coach Vlatko Andonovski hinted that Mewis’ injury could be more serious than originally thought while the team was in New Zealand for training camp and a couple of games earlier this month.
“Right now I don’t want to guess what time it is or if he’ll be back,” Andonovski said. “With Sam, it’s a long-term injury and at this point we probably wouldn’t go into detail about it.”
Mewis last played for the United States at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in the bronze medal match against Australia.
The team’s midfield will likely also be without Julie Ertz, who took a break for the birth of her son Madden in August and has not returned to training.
The United States has won the last two World Cups and will compete to lift a third consecutive trophy this summer. Hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the month-long tournament kicks off on July 20.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
