Trinity Rodman, at just 22, has shown she can create great pain for those that line up against her. Rodman, at just 22, also knows that she'll be dealing with her own sort of pain the rest of her career.
Anyone who has watched her on the pitch knows that there's magic at Rodman's feet, often happening at lightning pace. Rodman is special and, when she's playing, special things tend to happen. Let this week's revelation, then, serve as a reminder that sometimes life isn't always fair - even for the most special of talents.
Ahead of her long-awaited U.S. women's national team return - her first since helping Emma Hayes' squad with the gold medal at last summer's Paris Olympics - Rodman admitted that the back injury that's been plaguing her since 2021 will never be completely healed. There's a very real chance we have already seen the healthiest version of her.
Yes, she'll continue to improve as a player. Yes, she'll learn to manage the pain. Yes, the technical gifts will catch up to and even surpass some of the physical ones. Physically, though, Rodman, in her own words, will never again "be 100 percent."
That's the reality for the USWNT - although they'll still be building around her for the next decade, if all goes to plan. That's the reality for fans, who may need to temper expectations when it comes to Rodman's fitness and availability. And, most of all, that's the reality for Rodman, who will seemingly be dealing with back pain for the rest of her career.
That's the glass half empty, though, and when it comes to players such as Rodman, there's little time to dwell on the negatives. Her return is massive as the USWNT prepare for two friendlies against Brazil - Saturday in Los Angeles and next Tuesday in San Jose - and it's one that she seems to be relishing.
Rodman and the USWNT are set to take their next step into this new era together. Fully fit, or mostly fit, or somewhere on that spectrum, Rodman makes the USWNT better. And the hope is that these upcoming games can serve as a reminder of exactly who Rodman can be, even with a new reality.
