USWNT star Mallory Swanson says her knee is 'feeling good,' but doesn't know status for Gold Cup or Olympics

Even after tearing her patellar tendon, Mallory Swanson thought she was going to play at the World Cup last summer.

It was April 10, 2023 — three months out from the start of the tournament — and Swanson was at the top of her game. Undoubtedly one of the best players in the world in the best form of her life and an irreplaceable part of the U.S. women's national team. If the Americans were going to win three straight World Cup titles, Swanson would be a major reason why. 

But in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland, Swanson tore her patellar tendon — a gruesome injury that rattled her team. The scene was difficult to watch. Swanson collided with an Irish defender in the first half and immediately went down, clutching her left knee in excruciating pain. The looks on her U.S. teammates' faces said it all as they quickly waved medical staff over.

"It hurt so bad," Swanson told former USWNT teammate Sam Mewis on "The Women's Game" podcast this week.

"The training staff came on the field and they put my kneecap back in place and then I got relief and was better," Swanson continued. "Then I remember screaming Rose [Lavelle's] name because I was like, I need someone over here. Then Alyssa [Naeher] came over, I was grabbing her ankles while they're putting it back into place. Alex [Morgan] was over there. Crystal [Dunn] was there for a little bit and then I think had to tap out because, I mean, my kneecap wasn't in place."

Swanson had surgery two days later and did the math in her head. If she could recover quickly enough, maybe she could make it down to Australia and New Zealand in time for the World Cup final.

"I was like, I'm going to be at the World Cup," Swanson told Mewis. "There was no chance I was not going to be. I literally was like, yeah, I'm gonna be there."

Up until this point, Swanson was poised to have a breakout moment on the world's biggest stage. After not making the roster for the 2021 Olympics, she worked her way back into the starting lineup and at one point, former coach Vlatko Andonovski said it would be difficult for anyone to take her spot.

But a week-and-a-half after Swanson's surgery, she started experiencing symptoms of a septic joint and needed emergency surgery. Swanson said she was "very ill," was on IV antibiotics for six weeks and had a picc line.

"I don't think a lot of people know this, but I guess I'm gonna share it," Swanson said. "I ended up having an infection in my knee a week-and-a-half later. So basically I got surgery and then had to go back in.

"It was awful," she continued. "It was literally the worst thing ever. But we made it through."

It was only after that Swanson knew she wasn't going to the World Cup.

"I honestly didn't even think about playing after that," Swanson said. "I was like, I need to feel better because I was so sick."

Not playing in the World Cup was hard enough and Swanson couldn't even watch most of the games. She said that was due in part to the timing of the matches being so early in the morning back in the States, but also, "I feel like it would have hurt too much," she said.

"But that doesn't mean that I wasn't completely fully supporting," Swanson continued. "[I remember watching the Netherlands game] because I remember Lindsey [Horan] scored, and I was pumped."

Nine months later, Swanson is in a significantly better place. She recently signed a historic long-term deal with NWSL club Chicago Red Stars that is estimated to be worth $2 million, she's training again, and told Mewis that her knee is "feeling good." 

Swanson doesn't know yet if she'll be ready to play in the inaugural Gold Cup, which will be held between Feb. 17 through March 10, or if she'll be fit and healthy enough for the Paris Olympics, which take place in July and August. But she's working her way back.

"Whatever the team needs, I'll do," Swanson said. "Everyone is on the same page of whatever timeline is best for you, do that. Right now, I don't know if I'm going to go to the Gold Cup or if I'll be in preseason with Chicago during that time. I think we are really taking it day by day and training by training just to see how I'm reacting and all the ins and outs of that kind of stuff."

Swanson mentioned that she has talked to new USWNT head coach Emma Hayes, who is still coaching Chelsea and is not expected to start her new job full time until May. Maybe by then, Swanson will be back in USWNT training camp.

"She's great," Swanson said of Hayes. "I think she brings this energy that people are really excited about and I think what she's done at Chelsea is literally amazing and is one of a kind. I think her coaching style is gonna be a really good fit for the group. Everyone that I've talked to is excited."

Regardless of when Swanson is 100% and ready to play a full 90-minute game, she is only 25 years old and has a full career ahead of her. She's joked before to FOX Sports that her "experience is like a veteran, but I'm young." She made her debut with the national team and turned pro when she was 17, started at the 2016 Olympics when she was 18 and played in her first World Cup when she was 21. She won't even be 30 years old at the next World Cup in 2027. 

She has 88 caps and 32 goals and once she's ready, there will be more where that came from.

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.