World Cup power rankings: Brazil & Belgium have big problems!

Hit or miss? 25 most expensive transfers of the 21st century

How it feels to beat Lionel Messi

Six stars City should target to cure Pep's biggest headache

How England should line up once Tuchel takes charge

Neymar told he’s ‘same level as Messi’ but ‘ruined career’

Felix dazzles but Ronaldo-less Portugal lack finishers

Ronaldo wants to make Guardiola the Selecao's new boss

Messi sends special message at end of 'unforgettable year' 

Is 1,000 goals realistic? Ex-CR7 rival says he’ll ‘get there’

Neymar's future decided? Al-Hilal star buys €50m penthouse

Pulisic: 'Trump dance' celebration was 'funny,' not political

Rooney enjoying ‘boozy nights & takeaways’ without wife Coleen

Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Mallory Swanson talks about recovery</li><li>Reveals she had two surgeries on knee</li><li>Infection had set in after first procedure</li></ul>

'The worst thing ever' - USWNT star Mallory Swanson opens up on injury nightmare that left her 'very, very ill' and out of 2023 World Cup

Friendlies

England

The Chicago Red Stars forward had her 2023 NWSL season cut short after she suffered a tear to her left knee while on international duty in a friendly match back in April. The forward has been out of action ever since and has now revealed the "nightmare" she endured due to the injury. Swanson suffered an infection after her primary surgery, which meant she had to undergo a second procedure less than two weeks later.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Speaking on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys3myDHnVvE&amp;t=1329s" target="_blank">The Women’s Game podcast</a>, she said: "That tendon just completely ruptured and then my kneecap went up into my thigh. So it almost dislocated too. It hurt so bad. The training staff came on the field and then they put my kneecap back in place. And then I got relief and I was better."I ended up having an infection in my knee a week and a half later. So basically I got surgery and then a week and a half later, I had a second surgery. It was really bad. They had to do basically an emergency surgery to try and get this infection out because it was starting to — I don’t want to say it was starting to take over my body — but I was very, very ill."I think after that, that’s when I knew. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m [not playing in the] World Cup.’ I honestly didn’t even think about playing after that. I was like, I literally just need to feel better because I was so sick. I was on IV antibiotics for like six weeks. I had a PICC line in. It was awful. It was like literally the worst thing ever, but we made it through."

WHAT SWANSON SAID

Swanson had been fine form with the Chicago Red Stars in 2022 until the devastating injury put paid to that. She has also been a pivotal member of the USWNT set-up and was sorely missed at the 2023 World Cup, a tournament that went very badly for her nation as they crashed out at the last-16 stage <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/uswnt-goalkeeper-alyssa-naeher-devastated-world-cup-campaign-end-millimeter-var-drama-sweden/blt1cf646c2497191bf" target="_blank">after penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Sweden.</a>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The 25-year-old signed a <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/uswnt-mallory-swanson-record-breaking-nwsl-contract-chicago-red-stars/blt3b7cfa477460acd1" target="_blank">new contract with the Chicago Red Stars earlier this month</a> and is likely to become a pivotal part of their set-up once again, returning to her heights of the 2022 campaign. The upcoming NWSL season officially starts on March 16.

WHAT NEXT FOR SWANSON?

'The worst thing ever' - USWNT star Mallory Swanson opens up on injury nightmare that left her 'very, very ill' and out of 2023 World Cup | Goal.com

 Mallory Swanson has opened up on her nightmare knee injury that saw her undergo two surgeries after infection set in.

&apos;The worst thing ever&apos; - USWNT star Mallory Swanson opens up on injury nightmare that left her &apos;very, very ill&apos; and out of 2023 World Cup