Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Network
Julie Ertz at her peak is one of the best players in the world, but Julie Ertz at her best should not be the expectation for her return to the field in April. It could be the case, but it can’t be assumed.
Ertz was a shocking addition to the United States women’s national team’s April training camp roster announced on Tuesday. With the news comes hope for U.S. fans less than four months from the start of the 2023 World Cup. Ertz, more than any of the countless recent absences for the U.S., left a gaping void in the team that only she could fill.
The return of Ertz in the context of the United States’ general struggles in midfield against top teams will evoke hope, but one of sport’s greatest fallacies is expecting that what was before will be again. That is a paradox for the entire U.S. team at this World Cup. The program is in search of an unprecedented third straight World Cup title, and anything short of that will be a failure, but many of the players on the final roster will be playing…
