In The Journey to the Cup, The Athletic tells the stories of players and teams as they work towards a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Follow along as we track their progress as they prepare both mentally and physically for a chance to shine on the game’s biggest stage.
For three blissful months, 2023 was the Year of Mallory Swanson.
Well, blissful for anyone who wasn’t tasked with defending her. For the U.S. women’s national team and Chicago Red Stars, Swanson had a consistent 2022, showing a long-promised player fully actualizing her potential. She managed 15 goals in 19 NWSL games between the regular season and Challenge Cup, along with a career-high seven international goals and seven assists in 15 appearances. With seven goals in her first five international appearances this year, 2023 promised to be even more prolific.
But on Tuesday, the U.S. turned the page to an era that it never hoped to enter. Saturday’s friendly against the Republic of Ireland saw Swanson exit early with what was later diagnosed as a torn patellar tendon. During the rematch with Ireland on Tuesday, 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson started on the left in Swanson’s stead while Sophia Smith lined up to Alex Morgan’s right. The group swiftly tried to build chemistry before Morgan and Smith…
