Christie Rampone will miss the USWNT’s December games with a knee injury. (Photo Copyright Erica McCaulley for The Equalizer)
Christie Rampone will not play for the United States national team in December due to a bone bruise in her left knee.
U.S. Soccer announced that Rampone will miss all four U.S. matches in December, but will likely rejoin the team in New Orleans ahead of its final game of the year on Dec. 16, which will be world leading goal-scorer Abby Wambach’s final competitive match.
U.S. Soccer says Rampone has “ongoing issues” from the bone bruise.
Rampone, 40, has played in only seven of 23 games for the United States this year, starting twice and playing 300 minutes. She battled several injuries throughout the year, including back and knee injuries which ultimately paved the way for Julie Johnston to grab hold of a starting center back role.
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In July, Rampone told The Equalizer that she planned to keep playing after winning the World Cup for the second time. “If my body holds up, I’ll be there,” she said. The longtime U.S. captain hasn’t indicated that she plans to retire, but she has been unable to shake the injury bug.
U.S. Soccer also announced on Saturday that Megan Rapinoe tore her ACL in training on Friday, putting her Olympics in doubt. The Olympics begin in eight months. Rapinoe’s injury occurred on grass, but it re-ignited a debate about field conditions on the victory tour, which drew the ire of U.S. forward Alex Morgan and coach Jill Ellis.
