Christen Press once believed she was indestructible, immune to the injuries that had sidelined teammates and ended careers. But in 2022, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear shattered not only her knee but also the carefully constructed armor she had relied on throughout her career.
What followed wasn’t just a physical struggle to return to the field but a profound journey of emotional recovery. Initially, Press saw rehabilitation as purely physical — a means to heal her body. However, as setbacks kept her off the pitch and she explored new treatments, her perspective shifted.
The injury, the U.S. women’s national team star realized, wasn’t a curse but a gift, offering her an unexpected opportunity to confront long-buried grief and trauma.
“It wasn’t painful,” Press told ESPN in an exclusive interview. “It was more the realization that something was wrong with my body, and what that meant for my future.”
In 2022, Press’ future was tied to her hometown club, Angel City FC, after an 11-year professional career spanning America and Europe.
Incredibly, she had been available for every game except one, which she missed because of food poisoning. Her body had endured the physical demands of playing for both club and country. But in…
